Are your calls not being returned?
ARE your calls not being returned? Prospects telling you your price is too high, or asking for three bids? Are you unable to get to the real decision maker?
Do you think you’re the only salesperson facing these issues? Come on, really now. My bet is every one of your colleagues has exactly the same issues. So, why are they reoccurring?
Why aren’t your calls getting returned? Why is your price continuing to be too high? Why are you having major blockage to get to the decision maker?
Another bet; there are a few people on your team who are able to get through. There are a few people on your team who are able to get their price. But in spite of that or them, you go out every day banging your head against the wall and the world, trying to make your sales and your quota.
Here’s how to have a better, easier, more fun, more productive, less frustrating more bountiful, and more profitable sales life – create an internal sales mastermind.
One of the most powerful principles Napoleon Hill wrote about in Think and Grow Rich is the 9th step, ‘Power of the Master Mind’. He defines mastermind as a “Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”
In other words – people working together in harmony to get the best answer or best response. In your case, sales barriers or objections in common.
Take one objection at a time and have single subject meetings ...
• Everyone has two to five minutes to discuss their issues and whatever form of success they have had.
• Everyone takes notes.
• No-one interrupts.
• Everyone has a chance to have two minutes to share their best idea based on their homework, their past experience, and what they’ve just learned.
• Everyone takes notes.
• No-one interrupts.
• Each person in the group shares their personal opinion of what they believe will work best, either by what they’re doing in the field, or what they have just learned.
• Everyone takes notes.
• No-one interrupts.
• One or several answers and strategies are agreed upon, and all participants agree to try them.
The next mastermind session (one week later) should begin with ‘what happened’ in the past week ...
• Everyone has two to five minutes to discuss their application, what happened, and what form of success they have had.
• Everyone takes notes.
• No-one interrupts.
• Everyone gives their refinements based on actual circumstances, applications, and results.
• Final tweaks are offered and agreed upon.
• The entire sales force now has a set of answers they can use.
When applying new strategies in the field, or on the phone, do them a few times to get familiar. Depending on your situation, and who you’re talking to, wording may be critical. Make certain your language is positive. Make certain all language is non-manipulative.
If you wanna make certain to get the best results, follow these rules and guidelines.
Mastermind ground rules
• A mastermind is not a corporate meeting.
• A mastermind is not a politically correct meeting – it’s wide open.
• A mastermind is a real-world meeting designed to generate answers in less than 60 minutes – and those answers are to be taken out into the field, or delivered over the phone, the same day or sooner.
• A mastermind is all about what can be done.
• Keep the focus on one subject per meeting.
• At least three consecutive meetings on each topic.
• Let the laughs flow; the answers and ideas will follow.
Challenge: If you’re confident enough, invite your CEO to attend your mastermind. He or she will not only be impressed, they will get to see how their salary is created.
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
© 2012 All Rights Reserved. Don't reproduce this document without written permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer. 704/333-1112 www.gitomer.com.
