FREE Sales Training Seminar

The following is a reprint of the Sales Training Seminar notes from April 2007.

These notes are not perfect, and are really just me following along with the video and slideshow of each session to repeat what was covered. I wanted to get them out onto the website as soon as possible. I expect there will be grammos and some items that might not make sense in this first pass. I do not claim it to be perfect. However, I know that this is light years better than any handouts, since I have had the opportunity to include what I learned from you and I can address some specific confusion in greater detail. It will also get better over time since I can organize these notes into specific topics, and we can create a framework for the discussion you should always have when you get started in sales.

Simple Steps of Sales

In a perfect world there would only be 4 steps in the sales process.

o            Introduction
o            Discovery
o            Ask/Close
o            Thanks

There will be plenty of times when you'll only go through these 4 steps, but in all the other cases you have 6 steps.

o            Introduction
o            Discovery
o            Ask/Close
o            Objection
o            Renegotiate
o            Thanks

o            Introduction
o            - Qualities
o            Enthusiasm
o            Politeness
o            Friendliness
o            Pride
o            Sincerity

o            2.Discovery
o            Discover Interests and Needs
o            - Qualities
o            Develop Rapport
o            Helpfullness
o            Listening
o            Knowledge

o            3.Ask for Sale/Close
o            Connect Interest with Needs
o            - Qualities
o            Confirmation
o            Directness
o            Urgency
o            Sincerity

o            4.Objection/Concern
o            - Qualities
o            Listening Skills
o            Caring
o            Empathy

o            5.Renegotiate
o            Confirm the Sale
o            - Qualities
o            Urgency
o            Directness
o            Sincerity
o            Clarity
o            Firmness

o            6.Thank You
o            - Qualities
o            Get
o            That
o            Referral!!!

o            Introduction
o            Discovery
o            Ask/Close
o            Objection
o            Renegotiate
o            Thanks

o            When in Doubt,
o            Remember
o            Your Steps!

Mechanics of Sales

o            discovery
o            paraphrasing
o            features and benefits
o            feel, felt, found
o            transitional phrases
o            objections
o            buying signals
o            closing

o            Discovery -
o            Open-Ended Questions
o            oWhat interests do you have?o
o            Get them talking!
 
o            Closed-Ended Questions
o            oIs this what youore looking for?o
o            Confirm specific needs, clarify a point.
 
o            A deft mixture will get the best results.
o            Paraphrasing -
o            Restating needs to confirm and clarify.
o            Do not paraphrase negatives.
o            Only rephrase what they have expressed.
o            Most effective in question form.
o            They will hear their need 3 times.
 
o            Paraphrasing -
o            Solidify the need, give a clear target and reduce the likelihood of them reversing when you close on established needs.
o            Only paraphrase needs that can be satisfied by benefits.
o            oIn other wordsoo
o            oIf I understand your correctlyoo
o            oIf I can help you with o, you would buy today?o
 
o            Features & Benefits -
 
o            Feature: A characteristic of a product or service. Characteristics may include color, size, shape, et.
o            Benefit: A direct advantage of a feature.
o            Features & Benefits -
 
o            What is a Feature?
o            What is a Benefit?
 
o            So What?
o            The driveway faces south..
o            So What? It wonot ice up in winter.
o            Features & Benefits -
 
o            Transition from Features to Benefits with oSo Thatoo
 
o            This house has all vinyl sidingo
o            So That.. the exterior is easy to maintain!
o            Feel, Felt, Found
o            Solving objections often requires empathy.
o            Project that you care,
o            Validate their feelings,
o            Gather their attention,
o            Address their concern,
o            Move forward
o            Do not apologize for anyone else.
o            Do not apologize more than once.

o            Feel, Felt, Found
o            Empathetic Phrasing
o            oI understand how you feel,
o            Many others have felt the same way,
o            What they have found isoo
o            Feel, Felt, Found
o            Empathetic Phrasing
o            oI understand how you FEEL,
o            Many others have FELT the same way,
o            What they have FOUND isoo

o            Transitional Phrases
o            Smoothly go from one part of the mechanics to the next.
 
o            oI can certainly understandoo
o            oIom glad you mentioned thatoo
 
o            Transitional Phrases
o            Combine with Paraphrasing and Feel, Felt, Foundo
o            oIt sounds like youore interested in the idea, but are concerned aboutoo
o            Avoid awkward pauses that kill the sales momentum, or let objections pile up.
o            You are in charge of aspect of the experience and conversation. Direct it, guide it and keep it on track for a positive outcome. (Remember your Steps!)
o            Objections
o            Objections are essential to all sales.
 
o            Objections are BUYING signals.
o            Objections are BUYING signals.
o            Objections are BUYING signals.
o            Objections
o            Objections are BUYING signals.
 
o            Clients use objections to express needs they canot always be clear about.
o            Never argue with an objection.
o            Ask discovery questions, (open ended, close ended), learn everything, solve with a benefit and close.
o            Objections
o            Objections are BUYING signals.
o            Hide the clients lack of knowledge
o            Solve one objection only to get another, go back to Discovery and Learn more.
o            Clients will often have, or think they have, genuine objections. Paraphrase objections into questions that we can answer.
o            Objections
o            Watch for Universal versus Specific Objections.
o            Specific objections apply to this exact situation and require memorization!
o            Universal objections apply to price, color and competition. Counter by building value!
o            People object because they believe that have a problem that prevents them from buying. Show how the benefits solves their perceived problem and then close.
o            As soon as you see someone agreeing with you CLOSE. Ask for the Sale.
o            Objections
o            Learn to recognize common objections, use responses you have prepared or create a new response and then ask closing questions.
o            Objections
o            Barrier
o            oIom not buying today.o
o            oIom not interested.o
o            Before they know about the product.
o            oThis costs to much.o
o            Without knowing the price.
o            Objections
 
o            oCan I help you?o
o            oNo, thanks. Iom just looking.o
o            Objections
o            Brush Off
o            oIoll come back later and buy it.o
o            oCan I see a catalog/brochure?o
o            oIoll have to think about it.o
o            Objections
o            Brush Off Doozie
o            Objections
o            Brush Off Doozie
o            oI need to discuss this with my significant otheroo
o            oYouove known your SO for (how long) what do you think they would say?o
o            Get them thinking like their SO. Good luck with that.
o            Objections
o            Legitimate
o            Most exciting kind!
o            If we can solve this, weoll get the sale.
o            oCanot afford it.o
o            oIom to busy.o
o            oI donot like this product.o
o            Buying Signals
o            YES! (also OK, Sure, Sounds Good)
o            Questions/Requests
o            oIf I am able to answer/solve this issue, will you buy?o
o            Silence, Pause, Hesitation
o            Listening is critical, either your get an objction or a sale!
o            Buying Signals
o            Agreement with Statement
o            Interest in Feature or Benefit
o            Brush Off/Delaying Objection
o            Decode: oWhen I have learned more, I will buy.o

–      Create urgency, solve the problem, find out what they are thinking or need to discuss and close!

–      Number One reason for lost sales!

o            Buying Signals
o            Legitimate Objections
o            Focus, remember, solve that problem and the sale it made!
o            Decode: oIf you can solve my problem now, I will buy.o
o            ABC
o            Ask/Close
o            Timing is everything.
o            Too soon => bad
o            Too late => bad
o            ASK: After every objection or when you hear a buying signal.
 
o            Ask/Close
o            Assumptive Close
o            oRemember, today is (date) when you sign _here_.o
o            oDo you have any questions before we sign the paper work?o
o            Ask/Close
o            Alternative Close
o            Works best when there is one major decision left.
o            oDo you think the blue house is the right one?o
o            oWith the porch fixed, will you sign the contract now?o
o            Ask/Close
o            Remember, you may need to close during a single presentation as many as three times before expecting a YES.
o            Ask/Close
o            Waiting for clients to volunteer the sale or close for you will be a lonely career. They will love you when you get it right!
o            You are not a clerk in a store!
o            You are a professional sales person working with real estate!
o            Anyone can stand around and oring-upo a pre-made decision, only true sales people can jump start a stranger into a new client!

 

If you found what I had to say interesting, be sure to read about Agenthelper Member Services. I provide technology and marketing consultation at $25 an hour and also produce other seminars.

-       Internet Marketing Secrets for Real Estate –

-       The Mechanics of Sales – The Simple Steps of Sale for Beginners and Refresher for Pros

-       Dress for Success – Using cloths to enhance your sales message and say the right thing.


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