Quite regularly, I will get feedback from a client about a particular sales call and how it went. Recently a client of mine came up to me smiling and said, “I had the best sales call ever!” Wow, that is a big statement. I was curious what actually happened. What she told me warmed my heart because the call was almost effortless, the signed agreement was in her hands in record time and she stayed in her selling system from beginning to end. I hope I have hooked you because I am going to share with you what she did and why it worked so well.
The sales process for this particular opportunity had been dragging out longer than my client wanted. Finally, the presentation was scheduled with the decision maker, (if it with anybody else, you are wasting time), and when she was heading to the appointment, she was saying to herself, “I really don’t care if I get this business or not.” This mindset allowed her to relax and be completely objective when the presentation began. After shaking hands along with an exchange of pleasantries, she set the expectation: she was going to review the proposal which would sell for the expected amount and if the prospect liked it, he would sign it and implementation would begin. Now, there was clarity of purpose which came off as professionalism to the prospect, and of course, the prospect agreed to the contract and the presentation began.
There were about a half-dozen items to present on the proposal. My client starts with the first item and presents how this item addresses the need of the prospect. It went really well. Okay, she goes to the next item and presents how this item addresses the need of the prospect and that went really well. Only four more items to present and then she can close. “Stop! I’ll take it!” said the prospect. Immediately, he flips to the signature page in the proposal and signs his name. The order is closed! She had scheduled one-hour for the presentation and it was over in just ten minutes. She was planning on “closing” the prospect, but instead, he just bought it. When she returned to her office, even her coworker was surprised to see her so soon. Smiling from ear to ear she tells him “Got it!” No pressure, no sweating, no haggling over price, no need to close the prospect; this is what the best sales call ever looks like.
I would like to summarize some of the key techniques my client had learned and then used in this call to make it so great:
1. Before the presentation started, she thought to herself “So what if I don’t get this business. I have a Meat-Lovers pizza in the trunk,” which means she behaved as if she is financially independent. This mindset eliminates pressure salespeople put on themselves to win sales and frees them up to ask tough questions and take risks.
2. She had a deep understanding of her client’s pain and budget and she reviewed this prior to presenting the proposal to make sure there were no roadblocks on the way to the order.
3. She got a commitment to purchase before presenting her intellectual property. Yes, the proposal had to be met with 100% satisfaction from the prospect, but if it did, he would buy.
4. Finally, my client shut her mouth when the prospect said “I’ll take it!” to avoid talking her way out of an order. She let him sign the proposal and then thanked him for the business and left.
Sales should not be a struggle. If it is, you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. Rather, sales should always be fun regardless if you win or lose. Yes, this is easier said than done. Develop a good system for selling and then have a mindset of “I am financially independent and I don’t need the business,” and you too can start having “the Best Sales Calls Ever!”
