Apr 12, 2023
Sales is a Conversation between Two People w/ Brad Ferguson of Sandler Sales
BRT S04 EP15 (177) 4-9-2023
What We Learned This Week
- Sandler Sales Sub: take prospects thru the 7 compartments for a complete sale
- Sales is a conversation between 2 people
- Ask Qs - to determine the real problems, can’t be a Yes/ No Q , start with ‘How’ or ‘What’
- Pattern Interrupt - method to disarm people
- Seek the Truth, not the Sale
- Buying Meter – Intellectual vs Emotional reasons
- Rule – People don’t argue with their own data
- Belief - people sign and pay on belief
Guest: Brad Ferguson w/ Sandler Sales
LKIN: HERE
Managing Member Scottsdale Sales Training, LLC Diamond Award Franchisee Managing Member Scottsdale Sales Training, LLC Diamond Award Franchisee - 4/1995 - present
Per Brad: I have been fortunate to work with some great companies over the years with one goal in mind: SALES EXCELLENCE. I have been able to align myself with sales and business experts who were willing to help me grow to the point of being considered an elite member of the Sandler Training Network... according to my peers. Highly effective helping companies hire “A” players and avoid sales ghosts. Able to teach, coach, and mentor sales leaders and sales professionals to establish and maintain record performance levels, from skill development to revenue growth.
You need a trainer who can also be a trusted advisor, partner and consultant. Why choose Scottsdale Sales Training, LLC.? Because the success of our training has been repeatedly proven through delivery to thousands of clients.
Sandler Training is an international sales training and development
firm dedicated to improving sales revenue, establishing and
creating a hiring process for sales and sales management, with
affordable tools that keep sales turnover under 10%. Skilled in
Sales Training, Coaching, and Sales Recruiting. First Sandler
Certified Instructor in Arizona. Results producing coach and
training professional with a BS in Education focused in Teaching
and Coaching from the State University of New York College at
Cortland.
Sandler Training has been recognized as the # 1 Sales Training
Organization by Entrepreneur Magazine multiple times.
Sandler Sales Books:
https://www.sandler.com/books/
Sandler Sales Sub:
- Bonding and rapport building.
- Up-front contracts.
- Pain.
- Budget.
- Decision.
- Fulfillment.
- Post-sell.
Take prospects thru the 7 compartments for a complete sale
Notes:
Seg. 1
Sales is a conversation between 2 people
Sales people need to strive for Equal Business Stature with Clients, do not sell up
Buyer’s world, enter in and understand the Buyer, what are their pain points
You have to find compelling reasons for them to buy from you
People do not want to be sold, they want to buy, make the decision themselves
Determine what they are missing out on if they do not buy from you, what are the real costs of not doing business with you?
Problem – this is an overused term for profiling a client
Phrase it better: Are you hurt bad enough? Are you concerned enough about this issue?
Look for gain with your solution vs. pain
What impact has this issue had, what resources are needed to solve it?
Business case for designing a solution to uncover
Sales idiom - All prospects lie all the time
They do not want to be put on the spot
Covid was a disruptive change, and many industries had to adjust to keep doing business, sales is now mostly virtual
Tech empowers buyers, they control the process, and have access to more information
Buyers Journey – has shifted, buyers can do it on their own
Trust must be created between buyer and seller
Rule – You are there to serve clients – seek the truth, not the sale
Rule – if the competition is doing it, stop doing it
Buyers world & buyer’s business
Let the buyer talk, and use your 2 ears to listen
Discovery, not convincing, let the buyer find the solution you provide on their timeline
Seg. 2
Asking Questions with a Yes / No answer stalls you, need to rephrase Qs
Start with Why or How - Type A – Why, Who, When / B – How, What
How, or What – needs a full sentence to answer
Meter – Intellectual on one side, and Emotional on the other side
What’s the problem, how close to move to the close zone
Reasons exist for buying decisions, or to not buy
Impact & consequences of current actions
What’s the cost of your current process?
Who else is aware of this problem?
What happens if it is not fixed? Long term cost?
Convincing vs. Discovery
You can ask questions in a leading way to help the client determine the best answer on their own
Rule – People don’t argue with their own data
Disqualify – part of the job is disqualifying certain buyers, not everyone is a good fit, so you should not try to sell to just anyone, need a buyer profile
Sales = Belief – people sign & pay on belief
Hope – buyers contact you on hope
Seg. 3
Right level, right list of potential buyers
Determine who is the decision maker (or makers) to buy
Stop sounding like a salesman
Be a consultant, talk to the client, learn about them, can you even help them?
What is their selection or buying criteria? What matters to them?
Different types of buyers: Technological, financial, influential, end user
Types of Buyers for B2B Defined:
The simple way to classify the buyer type is by using the acronym SETUP.
What this SETUP means is the Strategic-Economic-Technical-User-Project Owner (Coach). –
Types of Buyers for B2B Defined:
The simple way to classify the buyer type is by using the acronym SETUP.
What this SETUP means is the Strategic-Economic-Technical-User-Project Owner (Coach). –
Ask Questions to determine What Type of Buyer you are talking with:
Strategic Buyer - Concerned with the Long Term – CEO
Economic Buyer - Concerned with the budget and cost – CFO
Technical Buyer - Concerned with the specifics of the product, what are the features? – CTO
End User Buyer - Concerned with the benefits and value of the service as they will be the ones actually using it.
For More, see blog here
Each buyer has a different process for why they make a purchase, especially how it affects what they do at the company.
Some may be strategic (L/T), some may be concerned with cost (S/T), some want good products, etc.
How they value the ROI of your service is different
Have to understand what type of buyer you are talking with
Salespeople must work on their own self limiting beliefs
If you sell on lowest price, it’s a race to the bottom
Don’t speak when closing, wait and listen
Don’t Commit HAYT – dreaded opening phrase of: How are you today?
When you call someone, you are interrupting them
You must acknowledge this, and ask permission to speak
May I take 30 seconds to tell you how I can help you (or why I called)?
Give your best 30 second commercial of your service, the Elevator Pitch
I have taken my 30 seconds, would you like to talk for a few more minutes, or do you need to go? Does this interest you? Do you want set a time to talk later?
NyQuil – sell the symptoms, not the cure (solutions)
Talk about the symptoms of the problem your client has, vs the cure for the problem
Must be Emotional & personal to emit a response
Pain = emotional involvement with that trouble or pain
Are they concerned enough to deal with their problem?
Plenty of people are aware of their problems, but are not going to fix them
Conviction – do you believe you need this?
Seg. 4
Objective Management Group – sales data company that does sales assessment, evaluations, and sales candidate screening
You have to understand and know the sales numbers, and what percentage will buy
77% sell on interest alone, this is not Not compelling enough.
Get coach for sales
1/3 of Brad’s clients – 1 man shop
1/3 have a team of 3 - 8 people
1/3 of clients are a larger group
Foundations of Sandler Sales
Trainings, books, classes
Sandler Book – You Can’t Learn How to Ride a Bike at a Seminar
Takes 1000 hours to be certified in sales
Seminars will get you techniques, to succeed you need long term training
To change behavior, you have to change your habits
Cannot focus on Outcomes, as you do not control outcomes
Focus on your actions, daily habits
BAT Method - behavior, attitude, techniques
Attitude forms beliefs
Abundance mindset
Do the behaviors – Can’t control outcomes / results
Have to be able to manage your behaviors
Cookbook recipes for a good sales plan
Build an activity plan of how you prospect, and practice
Calls and emails to prospects weekly
Daily huddle with your sales team
Sales Manager is there to make people self sufficient
Do not be the sales manager who jumps in often to save the salesman
Development Mode – teach sales people to fish
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