You Can’t Challenge Your Way to a Sale with Meridith Elliot Powell

Meridith Elliott Powell Sales Babble

You Can’t Challenge Your Way to a Sale with Meridith Elliott Powell #231

Meridith Elliott Powell Sales BabbleOur guest is Meridith Elliott Powell, an award-winning author, keynote speaker and business strategist. Meridith is the author of four books, including Winning In The Trust & Value Economy and her latest Own It: Redefining Responsibility – Stories of Power, Freedom & Purpose. Today we challenge the Challenger Sale and  discuss better ways to engage, qualify, and build client relationships that last.

The Challenger Sale

The Challenger Sale advices sellers to take control of the sale by taking on the role of teacher. This doesn’t work in all situations. The sales conversation is a dance where we learn about our prospects AND they learn about us. You can’t teach your way through most sales!

Sales is not a task to win according to Meridith. If a prospective  client is a fit, that’s great. If they’re not a fit, that’s OK too. We’re not a match for everyone. The goal is find those that DO see your value.  It’s a case of learn not teach!

Sell From A Place Of Power vs a Place of Need

Our responsibility as sellers is to make people aware of our amazing product and its benefits. Meridith believes we are driven by the desire to love people and help them. Yet we can’t be a human specification sheet. Instead we need to build a relationship and explore the buyers needs and desires. For example:

  • slow down at the beginning
  • sell aggressively on the subsequent sales
  • sell an urgent need
  • remember it’s unlikely you are top of mind when first meeting a prospect
  • customers need to be heard
  • sales training doesn’t apply to everyone

Take Action Advice

Lastly, listen, learn and allow the buyer to talk.  If you do that they will tell you what you need to do

How To Find Meridith Elliot Powell

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/meridithelliottpowell/
Website – www.valuespeaker.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/meridithpowell
Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/meridith.powell

This is the link to the FREE ebook 42 Rules to Turn Prospects Into Customers that Meridith mentioned in the podcast.

Sales Skills Training

Below are a number of past episodes that talk about mindset, rapport and generating genuine conversations that lead to closed sales. Enjoy!

 

Selling Boldly with Alex Goldfayn #209

Selling Boldly with Alex Goldfayn #209

Alex Goldfayn is the author of the book Selling Boldly: Applying the New Science of Positive Psychology to Dramatically Increase Your Confidence, Happiness, and Sales. In this episode we interview Alex on why people avoid the phone, fail to ask for the business, or referrals because of FEAR. We discuss ways to deal with this fear, and then teach them exactly what to do — and how — to make more money for their themselves and their family quickly selling boldy.

Happiness Makes Sales

Fear stops sellers from making money. They hesitate cold calling, stepping on toes, and taking up a prospects time. The psychology of positive selling creates optimism, confidence, boldness, and proactivity. Through awareness you can know profoundly, how good you are and behave accordingly. Alex shared some examples:

Examples

  1. In one story Alex noticed how the help at a  airport coffee shop proactively asks customers if they want water. The coffee shop has found that 90% people agree to buy $5 bottle of water when they sell $3 cup of coffee. What’s your bottle of water?
  2. Another story had three contractors bid an insulation job. Only one followed up, the most expensive contractor. He got the job. People want to people who are looking out for them. Prove it and follow up. 

Relationship calling is not cold calling, If you focus on building a relationship, the fear of picking up the phone will dissipate.

Fear is the Enemy of Sales

The way to address fear is to ask your happy customers what they like about you. People arehappy to share. This input will reframe your view on the value you bring to the market. It’s important to do this when they’re NOT angry. Our customers are happy with us for the most part. 90% of customers are happy, only a small few are perpetually angry.

Things Customers Might Tell You : You’re always there for me, you save me time, you do what you say, you returns my calls

How To Leverage

Avoid the trap of email, call your customers up and listen. They will speak more warmly about you, then you do. Your customer will sell you better than you do. You are better than you think. People want to buy from positive, enthusiastic vendors. If you can bring hopefulness and a sense that anything is possible, people pay really good money for that.

How To Find Alex Goldfayn

Alex L. Goldfayn- The Revenue Growth Consultancy
Alex’s book:
Here is the link to the One Page Sales Planner mentioned in the podcast. http://goldfayn.com/salesbabble

What’s Not Working In Sales Today with Brandon Bruce #204

What’s Not Working In Sales Today with Brandon Bruce #204

Brandon Bruce grew up in a tiny California town of 800 people where he only had one classmate at a school with outhouses as their bathroom. He went from these humble beginnings to now Cofounding and growing Cirrus Insight to $12 million in revenue and #41 on the Inc. 500 list (after a six-year rollercoaster of sales success and setbacks). Today Brandon and I discuss what’s not working in sales today.

Times Have Changed for Sales

Cold emailing and cold calling still work, but not as well as in the past. The internet is changing consumers behavior.  They are spending more time alone shopping and comparing before calling the sales line. It used to be that growing a big email lists was the path to success. But it doesn’t work as well as it did in the past. People can smell a pitch a mile away. A small list of targeted prospects is better.

Sales Solutions That May Work

Be eminently reachable – post your calendar online and let people find a spot that works for them.

Use email prudently asking for advice and help if you’re a startup:

  • Hi I’m a founder like you, 
  • I’ve created a new application, it does THIS,
  • I’d really appreciate it if you would download, and give it a try
  • then give us some feedback on it and  tells us what we did right and not right
  • We’re very open for feedback.

In this example you’re not selling but asking for advice. Kill them with flattery, by not selling, but getting them engaged. Be vulnerable and admit  you may not have the answer, but you’re open for feedback. This is authentic. Pushy sales is what’s not working in sales today.

How to Find Brandon Bruce

Brandon on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbruce/

Website https://www.cirrusinsight.com/

Twitter @cirrusinsight

Babble me to enter the drswing for Brandon’s swag!

Business Development

Listen to past episodes to find ways to grow business quickly.

Birth of a Salesman with Carson Heady #198

Carson Heady Sales Babble

Carson Heady Sales BabbleThe Birth of a Salesman

One consistent message I get from the Sales Babble audience is they love that Sales Babble makes sales simple by sharing practical advice and selling stories. Well today we’re going to knock that out of the park. Our guest is sales professional and author Carson Heady and he’s the author of the book series,  Birth of a Salesman. Carson spins a sales adventures of fictional Vincent Scott as a vehicle to describe what makes for great sales.

Superman With a Briefcase

The protagonist of the book is Vincent Scott. The story starts with him entering sales right out of college. His is young, brash and soon finds he’s good at it. He appreciates being well paid and is soon promoted and promoted again.  Vincent represents all of us. We are all tested in our careers and personal lives. Like him, we make mistakes and have wins.

In Carson’s mind, Vincent is a Superman with a Briefcase.  Vincent’s not afraid to take risks. Yes he sometimes fails but in the end he is a success in his profession.   This character is a mix of people Carson has worked with over time.

Attributes of a Great Seller

Vincent Scott struggles like all of us:  dealing with bureaucracy, difficult deals, and working with others. This is something we all face in our careers. It’s not limited to sellers only.  The stories develop to show how he matures over time.

Politics and corporate culture are a constant struggle in the book. Carson believes great sales demands:

  • Passion
  • Personality
  • Tenacity
  • Endurance
  • Toughness

There is more to sales than being an extrovert.

How To Find Carson Heady

You can connect with Carson on the web, blog and books:

Carson has published three books:

Sales Skills Training

Here are past episodes that will help you find your A game in sales. Listen now!

Sales Jokes That Don’t Fall Flat with Jon Selig #195

Jon Selig Sales Jokes Sales Babble

Jon Selig Sales Jokes Sales BabbleSales Jokes That Don’t Fall Flat with Jon Selig #195

There  are parallels between sales, improv and stand up comedy. Unfortunately sales jokes can fall flat and jeopardize a deal. In this episode Jon Selig shares advice on how to employ comedy to connect, build relationships and win deals.

Sales and Comedy

Each sales call has elements of standup. Open strong, close strong, probe the audience for their pain. display confidence. First you need to sell them on you. A simple  self deprecating joke is safe.

Craft jokes specifically for a prospect’s pains and challenges within their industry. It is very easy to offend and alienate your prospect.  You only need to offend one person on a team to lose a deal.

  • Don’t push anyone down
  • Don’t marginalize anyone
  • Don’t mock popular sentiments
  • Be as politically correct as you can

Have empathy and put yourself in your customer’s shoes. If you do that you won’t cross the line and have your sales jokes fall flat.

Improv in Sales

Frame your message within the problems and desires of your prospects. Be positive with the other person, respect them.

  • Answer the question  your prospects ask
  • Listen for the question, address it square on
  • Use the improv framework of Yes And
  • Accept what you hear and go with it.
  • Show how your solution will address their pains and challenges

Take Action Plan

Write more. Set aside time, express your thoughts in  1-3 pages. Stream what’s going on in your head. Discover your goals, then work it into your sales presentations. The key is to be relatable.

How to Find Jon Selig

You can find Jon Selig online and at a comedy club near you in Central America!

Website: jonselig.com
TW: @jonselig
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonselig/
IG: ImprobableComic
EMAIL: jon@jonselig.com

Jon also raises funds with Comedy Abroad, which produces live English stand-up comedy fundraisers in Latin America. 

Sales Babble Sales Jokes

Go here www.salesbabble.com/jokes 

Building Rapport in Sales

There are other ways to build rapport other than jokes. Here are past episodes. Listen today!

 

Sales Success Triangle of Attitude Behavior Technique with Glenn Mattson #187

Sales Success Triangle with Glenn Mattson #187

In this episode we describe the sales success triangle. It’s based on Attitude, Behavior and Technique. Our guest Glenn Mattson is a business consultant and sales coach. Glenn speaks from experience on the issues sellers commonly face and things they can do to find selling success.

Selling Personalities

Gabby people aren’t necessarily the best sellers. Yes they are good at connecting and initiating conversation. But sometimes they are too bound to seek for approval. They struggle with the follow up and closing aspects of sales.

Introverts and techy people, can be extremely successful in sales because they are process oriented,  they follow a system nor do they wing it.  More introverted sellers  don’t care if people like them, they handle rejection better.

Issues top sellers face

We discussed at length the problems, concerns and barriers to success. Glenn mentioned:

  • Attitude
  • Lack of Patience
  • Guilt
  • Worry
  • Anxiety
  • Risk Adverse
  • Poor Discipline
  • Poor Planning
  • Non-Tactical
  • Poor Listening
  • Weak Questioning
  • Reduce cost of sale

The question is this, how to maximize your time and energy for more business?

Sales Success Triangle

According to Glenn it’s Attitude ,Behavior, and  Technique.  Attitude is most important:  For example you earn exactly what you think your worth.  You call the people you think you’re equal to. He recommends that you increase your average deal by 10% every 60 days. Next deal with your limiting commitment. Some people say all the right stuff but don’t do it.   They have an ocean of excuses.

Take Action Advice

Two pieces of advice:

  1. Live in a world of execution
  2. Don’t fear failure.  The more you fail, the more you learn and the more you earn

How to Connect

You can find  him here www.mattson.sandler.com

or call 631 726-3537

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Sales Skills Training

Below are other past episodes that discuss ways to hone your craft of sales. Listen today!

 

How Salespeople Overcome Procrastination with Eric Twiggs #178

eric twiggs sales babble

eric twiggs sales babble How Salespeople Overcome Procrastination with Eric Twiggs #178

In this episode we meet the procrastination prevention partner Eric Twiggs. Eric and I have a lively discussion covering practical ways on how salespeople overcome procrastination. We talk about mindset, processes, and automation tools that can increase productivity and success.

The habit to accept is the ability to take action. If you put things off that take you away from your life goals, you will be frustrated and unsuccessful. The root of procrastination is due to a lack of goals and focus. Turn that around.

In sales sellers commonly struggle with:

  • Following up
  • Call reluctance

What’s the answer to overcoming this struggle? Eric says

“Know your numbers, ratios of calls per answers and sales advances. Know the number of your activities. Let the law of averages work to your favor. Know that optimists are commonly more successful in sales. Get the right attitude.”

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But I Don’t Feel Like It

People often use their lack of interest as a reason to put off a task.  Don’t let inertia keep you in place. Become aware of your personality type.  Are you a Driver or a Motivator? By understanding yourself, you can overcome feelings, and displace it with habit and action.

Steps To Overcome Procrastination

  1. Turn off all notifications on your cell phone
  2. Use a smart phone app to automate your life
    1. Hootsuite – preplans social media posts
    2. SMS Scheduler – send text message reminders
    3. Rescue Time – blocks websites for a set period of time
    4. Kitchen Timer for the Pomodoro method
    5. Stick K website – makes goals public to others who hold you accountable (actually put money on the line)

Procrastination Pyramid

Eric spokes at length on his procrastination pyramid:

  1. Watch your attitude and don’t label yourself as a procrastinator.
  2. Be aware of your optimal times, power times and personality type.
  3. Animation, know your sleeping and exercise habits and control them.
  4. Automation – Understand what tools help and what tools hinder your productivity.
  5. Activity and taking action, over and over.

Take Action Advice

Don’t let perfect become the enemy of progress . Done is better than perfect.

How To Find Eric Twiggs

To learn more about how salespeople overcome procrastination go to his website   www.ericmtwiggs.com

To find his new book go to www.ericmtwiggs.com/thedisciplineofnow

@thedisciplineofnow on Twitter

Get his free eBook “One Moment in Time Preparing Your Life For Your Defining Moment”   Send an email to eric@ericmtwiggs.com and mention Sales Babble!

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Sales Skills Training

We have lots of other episodes on skills you can work on. Listen today!

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Slidebean Examples Created for Sales Babble

As I mentioned here are  couple slide decks that I created for two Sales Babble presentations. Enjoy!

https://app.slidebean.com/p/hggYElvrRX/Tips-For-Selling-Success

https://app.slidebean.com/p/tvielUvSqi/Selling-With-Confidence-for-Startups

How To Sell The World with Karl Weaver #177

Karl Weaver Sales Babble

Karl Weaver Sales Babble

How To Sell The World  – Advice on Selling Asia #177

In this episode we meet Karl Weaver, an international sales professional who is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to how to sell the world. Selling Asia is different than the USA . Europe too. In both cases, sales only happen once trust is built.  In this episode Karl shares 7 ways to sell in a protectionist environment by a process of creating trust.

Advice on Selling Asia

We walked through a series of steps that in many ways, mirror enterprise sales in the United States:

  1. Realize their goal is to compete with the West
  2. Protect all you laptops and stored information
  3. Learn the language or bring someone who can
  4. Give a gift and something local like Almond Roca
  5. Don’t expect an immediate sale
  6. Honor the exchange of business cards
  7. Use social media like LinkedIn and WeChat

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Advice on Selling Europe

Like Asia, European companies do not make pop decisions. They are more formal when approaching business transactions. The gesture of exchanging business cards is a good example. Like Asia, it’s treated as an honor to both give and receive a business card.

Europe is interested in gaining trust before doing business. They want substance and don’t make quick decisions.

Take Action Advice

Even if you lose a deal, keep working on the next one. It takes time to break in. Be patient. Share on social media you’re value proposition. Over time relations will build for those who grind away.

Don’t expect the immediate sale. Be in it for the long run. Don’t close the door, keep going back and try again. Continue the good battle, sell, market and use social media why you’re products are great.

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How to Find Karl Weaver

Karl Weaver 魏卡尔 is a globally trained, Mandarin-Chinese speaking, senior wireless market and Smart Phone/mobile device specialist, working for wireless technology companies on both sides of the Pacific Rim in a sales & business development capacity.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljweaver/

Add Karl J. Weaver 魏卡爾 on WeChat   Add Karl J. Weaver 魏卡爾 on WeChat

Building Rapport in Sales

Dig into our back catalog and learn more about the challenge and skills you need to build rapport with YOUR customers. Listen now!

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Slidebean Examples Created for Sales Babble

As I mentioned here are  couple slide decks that I created for two Sales Babble presentations. Enjoy!

https://app.slidebean.com/p/hggYElvrRX/Tips-For-Selling-Success

https://app.slidebean.com/p/tvielUvSqi/Selling-With-Confidence-for-Startups

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Selling In A Skirt with Judy Hoberman #170

Selling In A Skirt with Judy Hoberman #170

In this episode we meet business advocate and professional mentor for women Judy Hoberman. Judy is the author of the book  Selling in a Skirt where she discusses gender differences in buying and selling.  In this episode we discuss how women sell to men, men sell to women, and how to create a niche market that ensures you’re the expert.

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SlideBean Free Trial Build a Relationship

Sales is about building a relationship. This is true for all types of sales, from the simple to the complex.  Always ask questions and  take notes. Show that you’re very interested in learning more about the prospect.

Ask open ended questions. Discover if they are qualified for your products and services. People like to talk about themselves. They will tell you everything you need to know. If they have the problem your “thing” solves, you have a hot prospect.

Continue to fact find during the presentation. The next step is to close.

Secret Weapon

After the fact finding process Judy asks …“OK is there anything else?”

This will generate the first objection. “Is there anything else? What do you think we should do next?”

Address each objection, one by one.

When the objections cease, the trick is to get them to close themselves:

“It looks like Friday would be a good time to get back together, would Noon work?”

There are three possible answers:

  1. Perfect
  2. Not Perfect how about 2PM
  3. I’m going to think about it?”   (if this is the case, discover if there is a hidden objection, otherwise follow up in 2 months)

Take Action Today

Be focused and get focused by setting goals. Think of the EOY goal, and work backwards with interim monthly goals.

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How To Find Judy Hoberman

You can find Judy on her website www.sellinginaskirt.com

Judy also had a special offer at www.sellinginaskirt.com/special-offer

  • Skirting the Issues eBook
  • 3 key gender differences that create the perfect sales team
  • What the F is everyone Twittering about
  • 4 simple words that will increase your sales
  • How to outsell every man in your office

 

Pat and Judy on iHeart Radio: Selling In A Skirt – Who Is Your Tribe?

In this episode Judy Hoberman interviews me on non-pushy selling and how bullying a prospective client goes nowhere during this day and age.

Judy takes a view of servant leadership that dovetails well with the Sales Babble view of helping and adding value. Consider the Covey quote “Seek first to understand then to be understood”. 

Selling In A Skirt, June 5, 2017

 

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Sales Skills Training

This episode is just the start. Dig deep into the Sales Babble back catalog. Start here today!

 

Memory Hacks for Sales Professionals with Brad Zupp #169

Brad Zupp Memory Coach

Brad Zupp Memory CoachMemory Hacks for Sales Professionals with Brad Zupp #169

In this episode we have a returning guest Brad Zupp. Brad is a memory whiz and author of a new book Hack Proof Password System.  He shares memory hacks for sales professionals and tips on how to remember names, how to remember passwords and how to look like a superhero when working with prospects.   Brad’s book launched June 19 2017 but you can get it for free that week!

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 Three Ways To Remember Names

  • Repeat a name 3 times at the moment you meet the new person
  • Each night, think about the people you met  today AND recal their names
  • In groups, connect people in the conversation (again repeating names) and how they are related or organized

Hack Proof Password System

The safest way to keep you passwords safe is to memorize them.

  • Create a rule based system
  • Look at website. Think of what memories it triggers.
  • Find an anchor, maybe 2 or 3 words
  • Substitute vowels for a random number
  • Choose a favorite punctuation character
  • Capitalize a letter, or word

This method is not that difficult. In fact to a certain degree it’s a memory hack for sales professionals and any business professional looking to strengthen their memory.

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 How To Find The Book

The Hack-Proof Password System: Protect Yourself Online with a Memory Expert’s In-Depth Guide to Remembering Passwords: http://amzn.to/2rqrtxm

Listeners outside of the USA click here 

Unlock Your Amazing Memory: The Fun Guide that Shows Grades 5 to 8 Students How to Remember Better and Make School Easier: http://amzn.to/2sAuw9I

How To Get a Free Bonus Book

For the free bonus material (workbook and companion ebook): www.bradzupp.com/bonus

How To Find Brad Zupp

Brad’s email: Brad@BradZupp.com

Brad’s main website: www.bradzupp.com

For information on Brad’s presentations for students, visit http://www.exceptionalassemblies.com/featsofmemory

Twitter: @BradZupp https://twitter.com/BradZupp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeatsOfMemory/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradzupp

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SlideBean in the Media

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Sales Skills Training

Here are many other episodes to hone your selling skills. Listen today!