Category Archives: Winning

Getting an edge on your competition

Use this word to slay your fiercest competitor – The Status Quo!

This word will leave the Status Quo shaking in it’s boots!

I have been selling for about a million years. Day in and day out. I have read nearly everything I can get my hands on and I have heard many of the super pros speak.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

And yet, I had never heard this one.

The pure and simple question that unlocks doors and allows you full access.

WHY?

Three little letters.

My good friend, President of Dialogue Consulting, revealed this secret to me and I was amazed! She is notorious for turning unprofitable businesses to profitable! And it’s no wonder. She is phenomenal. And this is one of her most powerful tools in her tool kit. The question…

Continue reading Use this word to slay your fiercest competitor – The Status Quo!

If you’re anything like me…you will LOVE this secret sales weapon!

I have a secret sales weapon.Secret-weapon

It is a sure fire way to get on the same side of the table as your prospect. Especially those who are resisting a sales conversation with you.

The secret weapon? A few simple words.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

“If you are anything like…”

This is one of the most dis-arming comments you can make in a tense sales conversation. It immediately makes your conversation personable.  Here’s how it works:

Continue reading If you’re anything like me…you will LOVE this secret sales weapon!

One More Call

I was reading Jeb Blount’s book last week. Fanatical One More CallProspecting.

And, if you know anything about me, you KNOW that I abhor most business books.

But, this one grabbed me. It made me think…HEY! I had NO idea I could do this stuff. I have never even thought this way. NO WONDER this guy’s a millionaire!

Seriously.

That’s what I thought.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Then I got excited. I have always KNOWN I could do better, I just didn’t know where to look to find the flaws in my performance (yes, *sigh*, even The Irreverent Sales Girl has flaws in her performance – until NOW *grin*).

One of the challenges Jeb puts to you is to make just ONE MORE CALL. So, it was Friday afternoon and I was cold calling my list. Yep, successful people still cold call. And I was tired, but I challenged myself to observe Jeb’s rule. Make ONE MORE CALL.

Guess what happened? Continue reading One More Call

Stop, Drop, And Roll – Dealing with an Objection

I was listening to this OUTRAGEOUSLY AWESOME webinar replayStopDropRoll with Jeb Blount (Sales Gravy) and Nancy Bleeke (Sales Pro Insider) today and I had to stop the action to come write this article.

Because it WILL make you BETTER and FAST!

WHAT TO DO WITH AN OBJECTION (hint: you learned it in kindergarten – when you are on fire).

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

STOP DROP AND ROLL

STOP: Talking. When you run into an objection. LISTEN.

DROP: Drop your assumptions and your ego. Become unattached to your own agenda. Get interested in THEIRS.

ROLL: (Keep control of the conversation).
Acknowledge their input. It can look like this: “My understanding of what you just said is this:…..” or ask for more information, “Oh. Let’s stop the conversation for a minute…that is very interesting…can you tell me more about that…” The idea is: Keep it interactive.

But, as Eddie Murphy said…Don’t go home and try to tell my jokes. They aren’t funny coming from you.

I encourage you to invest the time and learn from Nancy herself: https://www.fanaticalprospecting.com/book-launch/

Go out and…

Love ’em UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Vampires Can’t – Neither Can You. Get Invited In.

VampireI was recently talking with a friend of mine who does phone sales and she told me that her company says they are NOT ALLOWED to ask the prospect on the other end of the line if it is a good time to talk.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

She tells me her team is getting clobbered and is truly underperforming and that the job is demoralizing (I think she’ll be leaving soon), but her management INSISTS that they should never ask this question.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

So, it’s time for the Vampire article.

VAMPIRES AND SALES? WHAT?
Yes. Indeed.

In the time-honored tradition of Vampire-lore, it is well-known that Vampires cannot cross the threshold into your home, until they get invited in. The barrier is considered “sacred” and “holy”.

It is the SAME THING with your prospect’s time! You MUST be invited in before you are allowed to start selling – or you will be left bleeding out of your eyes (the sales equivalent is BEING SHUT DOWN and demoralized).

What does this look like?

Continue reading Vampires Can’t – Neither Can You. Get Invited In.

A Sales Gig Primer: Accelerate Onboarding and Ramp Up Part 5 of 5

Onboarding and Ramp UpA Sales Gig Primer: Three Critical Items for Accelerating Onboarding and Ramp Up Part 5 of 5

POKE: Did you register yet for this event: Your Job Search Goes Social with Sima Dahl? I am attending and I want you to consider it, too. Sima is even offering the event FREE to people who are unemployed – on the honor system. She is clearly about making a difference!

Accelerate your Onboarding and Ramp Up

Now that you have honed in on the short list of companies you would like to sell for, here are the 3 T’s I want you to find out to make sure you are landing in your right next home. YOU want successes quickly. Make sure that your Onboarding and Ramp Up Time are maximized.

The Three T’s: Training, Tools, and Time

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

TRAINING
It is a mistake to think that the only thing you will need to learn are the company’s products and presentation materials. You must know what to expect about how you will be trained on the systems they use – like CRM’s and Expense Report and other Reporting Tools that you will be required to use.

How will you be trained to navigate the company to get the resources you need? Where do you get what? How do issues get resolved?

How will you be trained on prospecting processes and territories (include questions about social selling training in this section)? You want to make sure you are clear and comfortable with how the company uses social media, if appropriate, to gain prospects and any compliance issues you may need to be aware of.

Can you expect good coaching from your sales manager? What do they offer to keep you sharp and state-of-the-art?

  • I like to hear it when a company says they will bring you to headquarters for a week or two to get you fully immersed.
  • Even better when you are going to be assigned a mentor (make sure you meet them first).
  • Awesome when they have ongoing training events or allow you a budget to invest in your own development.

If they promise “ride-alongs” or “sit-ins” with other salespeople, make sure you know how many to expect , how they get set up , and that they are with a performing salesperson (the last thing you need is to ride-along with an underperformer).

TOOLS
Selling tools are absolutely CRITICAL for your success. The better suited the tools are for your work, the more likely you are to perform.

Tools will include things like sales collateral and presentations.

They also include your CRM, Contact Information Finders, Outreach Templates, Social Media Tools, Lead Generators, and Drip Marketing Systems.

I recommend that you REALLY dig in on what to expect here. I have heard horror stories about people who go to work for cheap companies who expect them to sell into the C-Suite or SVP level of a company, but provide absolutely NO assistance like LinkedIn Premium services and something as simple as Avention (OneSource) or a similar Contact Information Database.

In horrifying companies, highly skilled salespeople are spending 45 minutes tracking down an email address or phone number AFTER they have spent who-knows-how-much-time locating the person with the right title. This is the WORST kind of way to spend your time. It is exhausting and demoralizing. Make sure this company is smart enough to spend a few dollars to get you what you need instead of thinking that it is a good use of your time to do these things. Can you IMAGINE?

I also really want you to understand how your organization wants you to use the CRM.

Is it for YOU or is it for THEM?

I have seen so many managers make their salespeople use the CRM in such convoluted and twisted ways that it is clear that you are only helping them micromanage or run inconsequential reports – information that never leads to a sale, but sucks your time and happiness.

Learn how the CRM system helps you stay on track with your hot prospects, measures your effectiveness at prospecting and conversion, and gives you quick access to the right prospects when a Trigger Event occurs. Anything else is standing in the way of your performance.

TIME
For your sanity, and the sanity of the people in your life who rely on you for an income, I strongly recommend that you dig into what to REALLY expect as a ramp up time until you are earning your On Target Earnings.

I want you to ask about Sales Cycle Lengths. And I want you to be clear when they talk about the sales cycle – how do they know that? Is it from Cold to Close? Or from the time you present to the decision-maker to close? (A BIG DIFF).

Ask what the average sales person’s ramp up time is to On Target Earnings. OF COURSE, you are going to be the star and blow it out of the water, but do not let them tell you the experience of the top performer, you want to know what to really expect.

And, how much time do they expect you to spend on certain activities? What have they identified as their Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)? (In other words, what activities have they seen are most likely to produce results?) Are these the things you want to spend your day doing?

Finally, make sure you know what their tolerance is for you getting up-to-speed. What are the signs that you are on track at 1 month, 90-days, 180 days? If they cannot articulate these milestones, BE WARY. Also, how do they correct performance that isn’t on track? How much time do you have to show results? How do they document and evaluate your progress? These are CRITICAL things to know before you start. Too many companies are churn-and-burn and I want to make sure you are not caught in the cycle.

Remember, my lovelies! Your life is to be enjoyed, not endured (Cowboy Mouth). If you ask all the right questions, you can be pretty darn sure that you will have a job that you ENJOY, not ENDURE. And, believe me, YOU DESERVE IT!

Love yourself UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

 

 

 

A Sales Gig Primer: Investigate, Investigate, Investigate Part 4 of 5

So, now we’ve taken the time to get to the bottom of what we want Investigatein a job. We’ve right-sized our thinking about our place in the market. We’ve talked about picking the right boss and getting set up in the right type of compensation plan.

All very important – even critical.

Let’s  take it a few steps further, though, to make sure you can really thrive in your new role. I have made five suggestions for further investigation. Please add YOUR suggestions in the comments.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Continue reading A Sales Gig Primer: Investigate, Investigate, Investigate Part 4 of 5

A Sales Gig Primer: Show Me the Money! Part 3 of 5

OK! So, today is about Show Me the Money!

Before we start though – did you register for this yet? It’s going to ROCK! Check out this event: Your Job Search Goes Social with Sima Dahl I am attending and I want you to consider it, too. Sima is even offering the event FREE to people who are unemployed – on the honor system. She is clearly about making a difference!

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Show Me the MoneyShow-Me-The-Money-538x218
There are really three ways to get paid as a salesperson – all others are variations on one a theme:

Straight Up Salary
This position pays a straight salary and you are evaluated on your performance against specific measures – maybe the number of appointments you set, or your conversion rates, or the deals you bring in.

This set up is ideal for the person who does not like income fluctuation. It is also ideal for the person who feels more comfortable REALLY selling a product when they can honestly say there is “nothing in it for them”.

Base Plus Commission
This sales gig pays you enough of a base to ensure you have some living expenses covered as your income fluctuates, but provides enough incentive to get the job done and perform at the top of your game.

Be sure to know what you need to be OK first, make yourself comfortable enough with the base so that you have the flexibility to go out and sell confidently (people can sniff out desperation from a mile away). But, not SO comfortable that it takes your edge off of the hunger.

This set up is ideal for someone who has a moderate degree of money motivation. Usually this person is also intrinsically wired to simply need to achieve. They also love the “unlimited” income potential that comes along with this situation, without having it all at risk.

Commission Only
(I consider Commission with a Draw to fit into this same category. A draw is NOT a base salary. It is like going into debt against future commissions.)

This sales gig is for people who are highly risk-tolerant. They want to be paid (and paid WELL) for the results they produce. They can command much higher commission rates because they are taking on all of the fluctuation and risk of performance.

These people are self-reliant and REALLY love the “Sky’s The Limit” nature of the work.

If you are entering one of these gigs, be absolutely certain that you can rely on your employer to provide the full training and resources you will need to succeed. Many companies who pay on “Commission Only” are just fine with churn and burn of sales people. Make sure this is an environment where you can THRIVE!

Love yourself UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

The Price Is Right – STICK TO IT

The Price Is Right – STICK TO IT!

I had a crazy pricing conversation a couple of weeks ago – a real nail-biter!

I have been selling to a Fortune 500 company. On a larger deal than I have closed in quite some time.

We were in legal, negotiating the contract.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

They had seen our price list. They had picked their products, we had an order form.

Then, came the price conversation. They asked for a separate conversation to “iron out the details of the order form.”

Sure, no problem.

We get on the phone and they start laying out their problem. They think our service is awesome and they cannot wait to get started, but they absolutely MUST start the program as a PILOT and ramp up into an Enterprise solution.

So, the way they had figured it, the first year should cost about 25% of our quoted price. Then, they could ramp up to full capacity.

They complained that if they couldn’t get this 75% discount, the person running point on the project would probably lose his job because the executives were counting on him to get the right deal at the appropriate price.

SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT DISCOUNT? NOW? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Continue reading The Price Is Right – STICK TO IT

Hungry Like The Wolf

What is the one goal that you  haven’t met in the last five years? You have SAID you wanted it over-and-over. You know the one I mean.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

This is the year!

What will YOU do to get Hungry Like the Wolf for your goal? Where can you BLAST the resignation? Where do you promise you will NOT GET STOPPED this year?

Now, write it down and look at it very single dingle day. Do something about it every single dingle day.

I got married last month. I wanted to look great.

I went to the gym for an hour and a half every single dingle day for 7 weeks in a row (except Thanksgiving).

I looked great.

If you want it bad enough, you can have it.

You just got to be Hungry Like the Wolf.

Love your goals UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl