Welcome to RothHupp Growth Partners' "Dispatches from the Front," our monthly e-letter. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions.(We are sending this Dispatch to our clients, colleagues and fellow business advisors; if you don't wish to receive future Dispatches, scroll to the bottom and follow the "unsubscribe" process.)
(Please add "rhupp@mailmanager.icebase.net" to your whitelist or address book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues.)This Month's Update ... from RobThis year's Thanksgiving season was made particularly special by a project the Rotary Club of Westchester (CA) undertook. This community service project was a Mini Home Makeover for a deserving local family. The club led by a past president raised needed funds, secured donations-in-kind, and identified the work to be undertaken. A cadre of trades professionals and volunteers of all ages successfully completed this meaningful project over a four-day period. What a wonderful way to prepare for Thanksgiving .
(Please add "rhupp@mailmanager.icebase.net" to your whitelist or address book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues.)This Month's Update ... from RobThis year's Thanksgiving season was made particularly special by a project the Rotary Club of Westchester (CA) undertook. This community service project was a Mini Home Makeover for a deserving local family. The club led by a past president raised needed funds, secured donations-in-kind, and identified the work to be undertaken. A cadre of trades professionals and volunteers of all ages successfully completed this meaningful project over a four-day period. What a wonderful way to prepare for Thanksgiving .
Topic of the Month:Improving Your Sales Calls (continued)
We recently published an article on this subject in South Bay Business Insider Magazine. In this issue of our e-newsletter we include the second half of this article. We ran the first half of the article in the October e-newsletter.
If you are a new subscriber and did not receive the October issue, please e-mail me at rhupp@rhgp.com and I'll send you the October issue.)
10 Surefire Ways to Improve Your Sales Calls (Part 2):
Number Six: Follow the 70/30 ruleThe rule is simple to state and more challenging to implement consistently: listen 70% of the time and talk 30% of the time. Use your 30% ‘talk time' to ask the questions you prepared as well as to pose additional clarifying questions based on the prospect's responses.Sales calls are not the place to inundate the prospect with features, benefits, history of your company, etc. Sales calls are for you and your prospect to discover his problems/issues, constraints, etc. and agree on an approach to solve. By asking great questions, really listening, and seeking further clarification, you are facilitating more effective discovery and agreement. (Your prospect will not feel like he is being ‘sold.')
Number Seven: Resist the urge to provide unpaid consultingAs a professional in your field, you possess a wealth of knowledge and experience you are anxious to share with the world. STOP! At this preliminary stage of discussion, you may not yet know enough to accurately diagnose the prospect's problem(s). You may be doing your prospective client and yourself a disservice. If you do solve the problem now or the prospect thinks you have offered up a solution, chances are you're done and out. Complete your discovery discussion with the prospect prior to proposing a solution, even if this means holding multiple sales call meetings. If the prospect pushes you for information prior to completing discovery, indicate you will summarize key findings at the end of each sales call.
Number Eight: Validate your assumptions and question what does not make sensePattern recognition that comes with experience is a powerful tool in solving problems and offering solutions. That said, validate your key assumptions with this prospect. For example, if your prospect is going to have to undergo an extensive financial review to get approval for financing, determine your approach and timing for discussing this with him. Don't assume everyone already understands such requirements and associated processes.If in the course of discussion, you hear statements or assertions from the prospect that do not make sense based on your experience or industry practice, respectfully ask for clarification. Don't provoke an argument but be brave and seek to achieve clarity.
Number Nine: Recap and summarize the results of the sales call with the prospectAt the end of the sales call meeting, compare notes with the prospect. Did you both hear the same things and reach the same conclusions? Are there specific issues or differences of opinion or perspective that need to be further analyzed and discussed? What will probably happen next in the discovery process? Can we set an Up-Front Contract for our next meeting or agree to a process and timeframe to set the next Up-front Contract?
Number Ten: Debrief the sales call just completedCongratulations. Together we have made it to Number Ten. After each sales call, sit down with a colleague, an accountability partner, or just yourself and objectively debrief the call. How did you perform on the previous Nine Tip Areas summarized in this article?
From the list of nine, identify 2 areas where you performed well and 2 areas for improvement. Be specific as possible. Additionally, review and handle follow-up items from the sales call meeting with your prospect.Regardless of your business or profession, conducting effective sales calls is a critical skill to acquiring, developing and retaining customers. Don't leave these important interactions to chance. Follow these steps and watch the impact on your business.
New Sandler Offering:Negotiating with the Savvy Buyer
A critical business development, management and life skill is the art of negotiating. When negotiating for significant stakes with a particularly savvy buyer (or seller), it is imperative that one enter the process well trained and prepared for what is to follow. We have worked with a number of business organizations, many of which are re-sellers of products or services. As one client pointed out, "it is just as important that we buy effectively as it is that we sell effectively.
The acquisition prices we're paying for goods and services directly impact what we can charge our customers." No wonder that negotiating takes on added significance for key re-sellers. Based on prior experience and marketplace interest, the Sandler organization (our training content provider) has developed, tested and released a comprehensive negotiations program entitled Negotiating with the Savvy Buyer.
We have participated in several sessions using this material and can customize it to meet key unique business needs.For additional information on this and other programs, please contact us.© 2006 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Upcoming Events and Workshops
(For more information, click on the blue underlined Program Title below)
Ongoing Mondays 10:00am - 11:00am --- Weekly Web Talk Radio ShowOngoing Tuesdays 8:00am - 10:00am --- President's Club Professional Development program at El Segundo Training CenterOngoing Tuesdays 2:00pm - 4:00pm --- President's Club Professional Development program at Ventura Training Center
Who We Are and How to Contact Us?
RothHupp Growth Partners, Inc. is a business development firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals grow their revenues through the establishment and reinforcement of more effective sales and management practices.The firm offers a range of consulting, training and development services at its El Segundo and Ventura offices as well at client locations. The firm is an authorized licensee of Sandler Systems, Inc.If you have questions, please contact us:
RothHupp Growth Partners, Inc. 400 Continental Blvd., 6th Floor 2443 Portola Road, Suite AEl Segundo, CA 90245 Ventura, CA 93003Phone: 310.426.2604 Phone: 805.644.4787 Fax: 310.426.2601
Upcoming Events and Workshops
(For more information, click on the blue underlined Program Title below)
Ongoing Mondays 10:00am - 11:00am --- Weekly Web Talk Radio ShowOngoing Tuesdays 8:00am - 10:00am --- President's Club Professional Development program at El Segundo Training CenterOngoing Tuesdays 2:00pm - 4:00pm --- President's Club Professional Development program at Ventura Training Center
Who We Are and How to Contact Us?
RothHupp Growth Partners, Inc. is a business development firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals grow their revenues through the establishment and reinforcement of more effective sales and management practices.The firm offers a range of consulting, training and development services at its El Segundo and Ventura offices as well at client locations. The firm is an authorized licensee of Sandler Systems, Inc.If you have questions, please contact us:
RothHupp Growth Partners, Inc. 400 Continental Blvd., 6th Floor 2443 Portola Road, Suite AEl Segundo, CA 90245 Ventura, CA 93003Phone: 310.426.2604 Phone: 805.644.4787 Fax: 310.426.2601
No comments:
Post a Comment