|
Please
remember my columns are copyright-protected.
Feel free to print a copy for
yourself but please do not reprint
them for distribution without
contacting me first. Thank you.
SAVVY
SELLING - OCTOBER
19, 2006
A Cold-Calling
Classic: Handling Handouts
By Michelle Nichols
EXECUTIVE
OVERVIEW
Every company needs new customers.
Here are 5 tips to be better
at cold calling - and what to
do when prospects ask for handouts
before they buy.
In hunting down
new customers, you're going
to meet some folks who expect
gifts upfront. Here's what to
tell them
"What do I do when I'm
out cold calling and prospective
customers ask me what reward
they'll get if they recommend
me to their boss?" a client
asked me recently. At first,
the frankness of the question
took me aback, but then I was
glad her customer was so direct.
At least my client knew where
she stood.
Years ago, I was taught to
imagine that everyone I met
was tuned to radio station WIIFM—What's
In It for Me? The intent was
to remind me that my prospective
customers straight away wanted
to hear about the benefits I
could offer their businesses.
It was, and is, a great piece
of advice. Unfortunately, today
some customers ask sales professionals
WIIFM and mean it literally.
The customers want to have it
both ways—receiving personal
gifts from potential vendors
and regular paychecks from their
employers.
Our Heartfelt Thanks.
I told my client to respond
to requests for pre-deal gifts
with something like, "Every
company decides how to spend
its marketing budget. Some choose
to spend it to say please and
some use it to say thank you.
The companies that spend their
marketing money saying please—that
is, before they make a sale—hope
to somehow buy your business.
But then when you buy, the company
doesn't have any money left
to continue the relationship,
and you'll get dropped like
a hot potato."
I told her to continue with
"Instead, my company spends
its time and money saying thank
you to customers who buy from
us. That way, our customers
stay happy for a long time,
over the many years we end up
doing business together. For
instance, for some of our long-time,
steady customers, we've said
thank you by delivering delicious
fruit trays and seasonal treats.
"One February, we even
dressed up our vice-president
in a heart costume and he delivered
chocolates and sang a song of
love to each of our long-time
customers. As our customer,
you'll improve your bottom line
by buying great products and
services from us, and you'll
also enjoy our thank-you gifts
for your business."
Make New Friends.
So don't let the fear of getting
asked for "please gifts"
deter you from cold calling.
You can always apply my please
vs. thank you idea. New customers
are the lifeblood of every successful
sales organization. You simply
must set aside some time each
week to look for new business
or risk eventually shrinking
revenues and profits. Here are
some ideas to help you achieve
more high-quality cold calls:
1. Set activity goals.
When I had a territory
and a quota, my boss made us
turn in "call reports"
on every sales call. The understanding
was we had either better be
at quota or have a lot of call
reports. My boss knew that constant
activity would lead to sales,
and this kept our sales funnel
full. Aim for one or two more
cold calls each day, and you're
practically guaranteed increased
sales.
2. Qualify Quickly.
On the first visit or two to
prospective customers, it's
critical that you qualify them.
My three standard criteria are:
Do they have the money, the
need, and a sense of urgency
for what I'm offering (see BusinessWeek.com,
2/18/05, "What Counts:
Need, Money, Urgency")?
If they don't have all three,
quickly try to develop the missing
ingredient. If that's not possible,
agree on a follow-up plan and
leave. Go find prospects who
are qualified to buy from you
now.
3. Manage Your Time.
The best way to use your time
wisely is to use a list of questions
you've prepared ahead of time
to understand your prospect's
situation. This shows respect
for their time, too. Then at
the close of your meeting, even
if they can't buy from you,
you've earned the right to ask
for referrals to their connections
who are more qualified to buy.
4. Build Connections
with Your Customers. Do
your research ahead of time
and find out a few key facts
about all new prospects and
their companies. When you meet
them, use your research to build
connections to them as individuals.
If they're very private people,
you can still connect to their
job, their title, their history
with the company, or as fellow
human beings. You have something
in common with every person
on this earth—find it
and use it.
5. Show Empathy. One
of the strongest tools in any
salesperson's toolbox is empathy.
If I have clients who are qualified
to buy but just can't bring
themselves to get started, I
usually reach across the desk
or table, touch their hands,
look them in the eye and say,
"It's O.K." My goal
is to make a safe emotional
spot for them to either step
forward and buy or reveal what's
really holding them back so
I can address it—and ask
for the order.
Be open to the fact that occasionally
your clients will have pressing,
but personal, problems. Maybe
they're waiting for the results
of critical medical tests which
may determine if they're even
coming to work for the next
year or so. Sometimes they're
just plain scared. Whatever
it is, a game of matching wits
or high pressure isn't going
to get their signature on your
contracts. Whereas being genuinely
empathetic just might do the
trick.
Face it, your business needs
new customers, but in seeking
them, you're going to meet some
folks who are blatantly unethical.
Try to sell them, but if they
insist in asking for "please
gifts" and that's not your
style, go find other prospective
customers to call on who play
from your rulebook.
If you need help motivating
yourself to make cold calls,
picture a mob of frenzied customers
who would each make more money
or be happier if they bought
products and services from you.
Now start cold calling until
you find them—and close
the sale. Happy selling!
Michelle Nichols is a
professional sales speaker and
consultant based in Reno, Nevada.
She welcomes your questions
and comments. You can visit
her web site at www.savvyselling.com
or contact her at michelle.nichols@savvyselling.com.
Her toll-free number is (877)
352-9684.
Copyright 2000-2006. All rights
reserved.
|
