I RECEIVE a lot of emails asking me to solve sales dilemmas. Here are a few that may relate to your job, your life, and most important, your sales thought process right now.
Jeffrey,
I just started working for a company that has a unique way of doing car service. They supplied me with an iPad to do my presentations with. The problem is, many places I go don’t have open internet that I can tap into, or they have it but won’t let me use it. I asked my boss about providing me with a 3G account for the iPad, but his response was that right now the company cannot afford it. I’m so cash strapped I cannot afford to personally pay for it. I’ve also asked if the online materials could be made available offline, but that is falling on deaf ears as well. How I can overcome this obstacle?
Gregg
Gregg,
Think about this for a second. Someone is willing to spend $500+ to buy you an iPad, but won’t spend $30/month to let you use it. It doesn’t make sense to me. There’s gotta be something else in the equation that you’re not talking about. If the boss gives you a tool to make sales, and the tool doesn’t work, then the tool is worthless. Schedule another meeting. Make your boss a guarantee that you will make enough sales each week to cover the cost of 3G, or you will pay for it out of your own pocket. That’s an offer that’s fair to everyone.
Best regards, Jeffrey
Jeffrey,
We provide transportation services for meetings and events. Many of my clients choose us and pre-plan with us via email, etc. Once they are in town for the event, the actual services are happening. Then they leave. How do I get a video testimonial? I would feel awkward asking for it while they are here when the service has just started.
Brian
Brian,
You have no choice but to feel awkward. Take pictures of people getting out of the car – and email it to them. Everyone feels great getting out a limo. Turn your little camera around, put it on video, and ask them how they liked the ride. The main person you have to ask is the person who hired you. They may not be the one riding in the car. But if you don’t do it at the event, it won’t happen.
Best regards, Jeffrey
Jeffrey,
I am an in-branch mortgage loan officer for a bank and get 98 per cent of my leads from customers who walk into the branch. People will listen to what I say, seem to establish brief rapport with me, get a quote, and then leave the branch saying they want to ‘shop around’ to compare pricing and get back to me. I’ve tried multiple ways to retain these customers and nothing seems to click. I’ve tried getting an email address from them, I’ve tried selling the benefits of having a ‘banking relationship’ versus just finding some low-cost shop on the internet that’s selling low rates. In the brief time I have with these people at the branch, how can I get past the rate issue while at the same time converting more of these ‘warm’ leads into loans?
Mike
Mike,
Here are three things you can do right now: 1. Create a chart that lists the rates and services of all other mortgage providers in your city. When someone says they want to shop around, tell them you’ve already done the shopping for them and give them the list. 2. Focus more on bank relationship then rate. Show them how much their rate can change by paying their mortgage every two weeks instead of every month. 3. Get a few video testimonials from people who bought your mortgage in spite of the rate, and let them give their reasons for why they did it. Do those three things and your closing rate will double.
Best regards, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com
He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail salesman@gitomer.com © 2011 All Rights Reserved. Don't reproduce this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. 704/333-1112 www.gitomer.com.