The Q and A Sales Podcast: Recent Episodes
Paul Reilly
Salespeople constantly have questions running through their minds and there always seems to be that ONE question that has yet to be answered. This show answers the most pressing questions for the sales professional. Whether you're new to sales or you think you know it all, you probably have a question -- so ASK it!
Have you ever wondered why customers or prospects won’t change?
You might have a better solution, but the decision maker is still reluctant. In this episode, Paul discusses some of the psychological forces that impact your customer’s or prospect’s decision making process.
Show Notes
Paul answers an interesting question: Why won’t customers change?
“Well, we’re going to answer that question today and take a look at some of the deeper psychology behind this question and there’s three things we’re going to focus on: The Status Quo Bias, Loss Aversion, and the Endowment Effect, alright?”
Paul uncovers how these biases impact customer decision making, and most importantly, he provides some tips and ideas to overcome these biases.
“So, first things first; let’s talk about loss aversion and how it relates to change. Loss aversion basically means that losses loom larger than gains.” Customers will focus more on what they have to give up versus what they gain anytime a change takes place.
People like to stick with what they know. Customers like familiarity. They like to stick with what they know and what they trust.
“So, if you’re talking to a prospect or a customer and trying to displace a competitor, define the concept or idea you’re selling and then draw a parallel to how they’re already buying into this concept or idea.”
The Endowment Effect is the tendency for people to place higher value on the things that they own versus the things they don’t own.
“If anyone’s ever tried to sell their home, for example, you meet with the realtor and then you tell the realtor, ‘Here is what I think my house is worth.’ But the realtor tells you what it’s actually worth. We place a higher value on it because we own it.
“So, again, yes, it is a challenge when customers don’t want to change. This podcast, hopefully, gave you a couple of ideas on how you can help inspire change, alright? Just to recap, remember, with Loss Aversion, whatever they give up is going to loom larger than what they gain, so, you’ve got to show 1.5 to 2.5 times of gain compared to what they have to give up to attain it.
When we talk about the Status Quo Bias, be able to explain how your ideas and concepts are familiar to them already. Draw a parallel to another area of their business.
And then, the final thing we talked about is the Endowment Effect. People place a higher value on the ideas that are their own, versus your ideas. So, somehow, try to convince and plant your idea in that customer’s mind.”
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Too often, buyers will focus on price before you’ve had a chance to prove your value. In this episode, Paul shares some ideas on how to proactively take control of the sales conversation.
Show Notes
Buyers often focus on price early in the conversation. This is especially true in commoditized industries. When buyers view multiple solutions as the same, they focus more on price. “Well, any time the customer leads you into a pricing conversation before you’ve proven the actual value, your price is going to be too high. The customer has yet to really understand what it is that you actually do for them.”
When customers make buying decisions, they analyze four variables: Price, Cost, Utility, and Impact. “Price is what you charge for your product or service. It’s pretty straightforward, but, Cost is much broader. Cost is what that buyer really sacrifices. Utility is what your product or service actually does, but Impact is how it really affects the buyer.”
“When the buyer asks about price, don’t freak out and start listing price.” Instead, redirect the conversation to cost. For example, “Well, Mr. Customer, I understand that price is one of the many factors you consider when making this decision, but the reason you’re asking about price is because you’re really concerned about saving on your total cost. Is that right?”
If you’re talking total cost, you can share ideas to reduce their cost. If you’re talking price, you’re more likely to discount. Once you have changed the conversation from price to total cost, you can discuss all the ways your solution will help that buyer save on their total cost.
The next step is to ask questions related to total cost. Ask questions to identify all the ways your buyer determines cost. For example, “How do you calculate labor on this project?”, “How is cost determined throughout this project?” or “What are some of those soft or hidden costs associated with this decision?”
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Are customers giving you all the credit you deserve? Paul shares three examples to reinforce and validate the value you deliver.
Show Notes:
“Nobody gets the credit they deserve; you only get the credit you ask for.” Therefore, its…
“As most people are unaware of the air they breathe; most customers are unaware of the value they receive.”
Your customer is not intentionally forgetting about your value, they just don’t think about it. When things work the way they should, they don’t notice it.
Value reinforcement is critical because price only becomes an issue in the absence of value. If the customer forgets about your value, price becomes an issue.
There are two things you can do to validate and remind the customer of the value you deliver: dollarize the impact of your value, and communicate that impact to different levels of decision makers.
“_______ is the number-one reason salespeople discount their price. So, ask yourself this question…”
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares his #1 sales tip that will help you be more successful T-O-D-A-Y.
Show Notes
SPOILER ALERT: Stretch the buyer’s time horizon into the future…and the past. Listen to learn why and how.
When you’re trying to improve in any way, focus on ONE thing to make a change.
Ask questions that help your customer focus on the outcomes.
When the customer shares their long-term goals, go back to them and present your long-term solution and the value it brings.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares four ideas on how to build and sustain the value-added movement, but also some insight on why movements can fail.
Show Notes
Clarity-Communication-Commitment-Courage
As a leader, you must articulate your vision and purpose as a value-added organization. Be crystal clear.
At every company meeting, in every email, every team communication, drive that value-added message home.
Inner circle buy-in is key.
Take those small wins. They signal progress.
Celebrate the successes achieved along the way in building this important value-added movement.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Imagine spending six – nine months trying to close a deal. The customer is ready to buy, but they tell you, “Your price is double the competition!” On this show, Paul answers Jeff’s question: “We consistently compete on price because our product is always the most expensive! When we compete on technical capabilities, we always have an advantage. But justifying the higher cost is a challenge. How do we avoid going through a long sales cycle and losing the business at the end? Customers always see the value in our extended capabilities but have trouble justifying the 2X cost.” Paul responds, “The key is figuring out what makes your solution different or better and why that is meaningful to the customer.” In this type of selling scenario, there are going to be multiple decision makers, and they are getting involved at different phases. You must identify who is involved and how they define value. This needs to happen early on in the buying process. “How are you going to sell them on your value, if you don’t understand how they define value?” Additionally, multiple decision makers can complicate the buying process. “There are group dynamics you just can’t ignore.” Paul explains, “Groups want to conform.” On the show, Paul demonstrates how to facilitate group conformity. “It’s not enough to just gain individual buy-in with decision makers…” How do you respond when your price is double the competition? “Being double the competition is a big hill to climb, but you can climb that hill, if your solution is worth it.” “Don’t focus on the price of your solution. The key is to…”
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
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Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul had the pleasure of interviewing Jon Alwinson, author of Relentless Sales.
Show Notes
The relentless mentality is peace in who you are, and living from that identity, not for that identity.
When one’s faith is solid and can’t be shaken, Jon believes it is the ultimate competitive advantage in sales.
Adversity is part of growth. Tune in to hear how Jon relied on his faith to grow him through his adversity.
There’s a myth in business that humility is a weakness rather than a strength. That could not be more untrue!
Jon’s advice to new salespeople: build a board of directors for your life. Surround yourself with people who help you see around corners—see what you don’t see.
Learn more about Jon Alwinson and grab some free resources at JonAlwinson.com.
Jon’s book, Relentless Sales, is available at Amazon.com.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Has this happened to you? You work with the customer and develop the perfect solution, then they go with a cheaper competitor? Paul provides insights and ideas to help prevent this but to also resurrect that sale.
Show Notes
Set the expectation early that you are NOT in the free consulting business by securing a “micro commitment.”
Call higher in the organization. Get buy-in from that high-level decision maker to avoid this free-consulting scenario.
Maintain a full pipeline of opportunities. This mitigates the need to maintain a relationship with these demanding prospects.
Think about this: if the customer goes with your competitor after you’ve provided pre-sale consulting, perhaps you’re not communicating the post-sale value of your solution.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides great tips to convince those naysayers, those guardians of the status quo, that your solution is worth the change.
Show Notes
First things first. Analyze why this individual is hesitant to change. Were they part of the discovery, or were they brought in later?
Is this decision maker aware of the broader issue or problem your solution provides, perhaps for a different department or location? Read them into the situation.
Don’t camouflage your solution. Be sure to point out the contrast of what your solution will do compared to the status quo.
Maximize information flow. This helps build familiarity with your name, your company’s name, and your solution.
Share case studies from other customers of how easily your solution is implemented.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides insight into a more effective follow-up strategy.
Show Notes
You must create value at every interaction with the customer.
In your follow-up, ask the customer questions that will call attention to your strengths vis-à-vis your competition’s weaknesses.
So, do you remember how to address an envelope? Sending a good old-fashioned letter of thanks builds familiarity and shows professionalism.
Create and provide content that addresses the challenges your customers are experiencing.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Itunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul helps you stand out from the sea of choices your customers have by highlighting your key differences.
Show Notes
Never discount a differentiator. “It’s better to lose a deal than discount a differentiator.”
When the customer compares your price to your competitor’s, acknowledge the difference in price by pointing to the value they will receive with you.
Don’t bad-mouth the competition. Instead, highlight your strengths that point to your competitor’s weaknesses.
Use the generic similarities between you and the competitor as a springboard to what makes your solution unique.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul debunks some of the myths surrounding high-level decision makers (HLDMs).
Show Notes
FE FI FO FUM. I SMELL THE BLOOD OF A…Salesperson. High-level decision makers get a bum rap!
Many HLDMs started out as salespeople. Salespeople generate revenue in their own organizations. Why would they have a problem with you?
A whopping 90% of salespeople do not call at the highest level in an organization!
HLDMs focus on more than just a product. They want to know how your solution will help them achieve their long-term organizational goals.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides valuable tips for conducting a productive annual review with your existing customers.
Show Notes
Your customers are busy with other priorities. So, it’s critical that you remind them of the value you provided over the past year.
Part of your annual review must be to reexamine their needs and ensure that you will meet those needs in the next year.
Be prepared to share your knowledgeable expertise of your organization’s new products and services. Plant the seeds of how these new products will help your customers in the coming year.
Ask your customers a series of “tinkering” questions to reveal new ways you can create value for them.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul gives you a few things to think about regarding your relationship with e-commerce.
Show Notes
Is online ordering a threat to your livelihood? Then perhaps you’re just an order taker, not a value creator.
If an organization provides a digital platform for ordering, then the salesperson has no choice but to find new and unique ways to create value for their customers.
View e-commerce as a sales assistant generating revenue 24/7/365.
When customers embrace an e-commerce platform, they buy more, and in different categories.
E-commerce cannot replace what you, the salesperson, bring to the table: problem-solving, knowledgeable expertise, relationship. That’s all you!
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Price increase fatigue? Paul offers multiple tips to help you and your customer through those inevitable price-increase conversations.
Show Notes
Your attitude is absolutely critical when presenting price increases.
Your company is for profit. It’s okay to make money and be compensated for your value. The profit you gain is a metric for the value you create.
Reinforce your value with your customers prior to the price increase. Make sure they understand all the value you and your company bring to the table.
When the customer objects to the price increase, offer an adjustment period (NOT a discount): i.e., incremental increases over the next 90 days.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul offers valuable tips that will keep you filling your pipeline, even during a slowdown.
Show Notes
Be sure you have a healthy list of opportunities: no less than 10 to pursue over the next 3 – 6 months.
In tough times, more people will be involved in the decision making process. Do you know the four types of decision makers to identify?
Can you solve a problem your prospect is experiencing? Make sure you let them know how you can help them. They’ll be more likely to agree to a meeting.
Get there early in the process and remain present throughout. Light pressure, constantly, can reap great rewards.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
During this winter holiday season, we are revisiting Paul's interview with speaker and author of The Go-Giver, Bob Burg.
Always give value to others.
"Be a go-getter (a person of action) and a go-giver (someone who is absolutely laser-focused on providing immense value to others)."
Don't be a go-taker (someone who takes without adding any value).
"Money is an echo of value."
Connect with Bob at Burg.com.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul offers ten principles to help you navigate price objections in this changing economic tide.
Show Notes
Someone else’s opinion does not make your price too high. It’s simply their opinion.
“My competition is making me cut our price.” Wrong! Only you or your company has the power to cut your price.
Never assume your price is too high. Your competitor may just be desperate to sell.
Eliminate your team’s ability to discount! Salespeople will discount at the first sign of an objection. Don’t let them!
Nothing gives you greater confidence than a pipeline full of opportunity. What a negotiating edge to be able to walk away from a deal because you have ten more in the pipeline.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul helps you find that strength to get through the struggle of tough times.
Show Notes
Look back on those struggles in your life and reflect on how you made it through.
Think about how far you’ve come since your last really tough time. Do you feel a sense of pride for your resilience, your growth? You should!
Successful people often boast more of the struggles they battled through than boast of their current success.
Struggle def: 1. (noun) A very difficult task. 2. (verb) Striving to achieve something in the face of difficulty. Which definition resonates with you?
Struggle is a bellwether of bounty. It is the leading indicator of success.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides seven things you must do to ensure that your next training initiative sticks.
Show Notes
Focus on the leaders among your sales team, those folks that others look to for advice. Get them onboard with your training initiative and then leverage that bandwagon effect.
Once your team starts utilizing what they’ve learned, it’s imperative that they share their success stories. Salespeople learn from others’ success.
Focus pre-call planning on the recent training objectives. This ensures that your team will review the content before every sales call.
Post-call review. Do it every single time, whether the sale is won or lost.
How do you make training stick? You never stop. Make training part of your culture.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul had the pleasure of interviewing Anthony Iannarino about his new book, The Negativity Fast, and is excited to share Anthony’s practical advice to salespeople facing tough times.
Show Notes
“…get rid of the negative part by doing something positive. …find somebody to help and see if you can lift them up. I promise you you’ll feel a whole lot better.” Anthony Iannarino
“…it’s the trajectory and the gratitude that you have for your life that changes who you are, and now everything is so different because you’ve had the trauma.” Anthony Iannarino
“When you lose a deal, you should not be negative about that at all because there’s two things that can happen: you either decide that you have a loss, or you have a lesson… Focus on the lesson... What would you do different?” Anthony Iannarino
“If you understand they were rejecting an offer and not you—much easier for you to process that.” Anthony Iannarino
To learn more about Anthony Iannarino, go to TheSalesBlog.com. There you can pre-order his book, The Negativity Fast, and view accompanying resources.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares five sure-fire ways to craft your presentation into a unique customer experience.
Show Notes
Use analogies relevant to the decision maker and their business.
Incorporate industry-specific terms in your presentation: buzz words of value.
What do your company and the customer have in common? Find those commonalities and pepper them throughout your presentation.
Determine the customer’s Critical Buying Path® and show them how you add value in each step.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul gives some tips and ideas to get your sales team firing on all cylinders and performing consistently at their peak.
Show Notes
The underlying issue for inconsistent sales performers is a failure to manage their pipeline.
Make sure your team has a steady flow of new opportunities entering their pipeline. Use the 3-2-1 ratio. Listen to find out just what that is.
If salespeople report to you, your #1 job is to coach them. You must get in the field with each of your team members every month to coach them effectively.
Small wins help those inconsistent performers get back on track.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares ideas on how to have better conversations with your customers—conversations on value rather than price.
Show Notes
Anytime you discuss price before you can communicate value, your price is going to be too high (so says the customer).
As a customer-focused seller, you’re not changing the conversation from price to avoid what the customer wants to discuss, rather, you’re helping the customer get out of their own way.
Keeping it simple is not always the best path. Help your customers understand the complexity of their needs.
Ask the right questions to help shift the customer’s focus from short term to long term—from sacrifice to outcomes.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares tips on handling price pushback in those service-based industries.
Show Notes
What does the movie Tommy Boy, T-bone steaks, McDonald’s, and Panera have to do with price objections?
Point out the dissonance between the outcome they want and the price they’re willing to pay. “Is the price you’re willing to pay consistent with the outcome you’re hoping to receive?”
Is it a matter of perceived equity? Bundle in more value while maintaining your price point.
Acknowledge price but change the conversation to how your service helps the customer make money (or achieve the desired outcomes).
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul reveals the steps to develop your sales team into value-added top achievers.
Show Notes
If you expect your team to be top achievers, you need to train them like top achievers. Make training and development part of your sales culture.
Positive momentum = progress. Reinforcing and acknowledging the effort increases confidence.
Remove your team’s ability to discount. How much harder would your team sell value if discounting was not an option?
What is the one thing your team can do right now that will have the most effect on their sale success? Listen and find out.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares five ideas to accelerate your deals through the pipeline.
Show Notes
Do you know where your ultimate decision maker is? Verify that they will be involved in your meeting.
What departments will be affected by this decision? Make sure you are talking with the right people.
Clearly define to the customer the benefit of moving quickly on this deal. What will it cost them to wait?
Internal champions. Pressure points. Listen to find out how these will help you close that deal sooner.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares the seven secrets to creating a motivational environment for your sales team.
Show Notes
You can’t motivate people. Really?! Listen to find out just what that means.
Education is critical to building confidence. Help your team develop the necessary skill set to sell successfully.
Selling is a delicate balance between controllable effort and uncontrollable outcomes. Increase your team’s belief in their desired outcomes by sharing success stories.
Eliminate those non-selling activities your sales team is required to do.
When you expect more from your team, you’ll get more from your team.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides some guidance on the many facets and layers of handling customer complaints.
Show Notes
Customer service is better equipped to handle certain types of customer complaints. But the severity of the issue could require sales rep involvement.
Who has the expertise to solve the problem the right way: customer service, technical, maintenance, sales team, leadership, etc.?
Keep the customer informed of the steps being taken to address their issue. They want to know you’re on it.
Put a team together and conduct a failure analysis. Then fix the root cause of the problem for this customer and all the other customers experiencing the issue.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides the Dos and Don’ts of presenting your price confidently.
Show Notes
Nervous? You’re asking the customer for money. There’s no greater time to display absolute confidence.
DO NOT telegraph that a cheaper price is available. The customer’s expectations will be anchored to that lower-priced option.
Apologizing for your price sends the message that you’re not providing the prospect a fair deal.
THE PRICE IS…Simple, easy to remember, confident.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul helps you recognize just how many opportunities you’re leaving on the table.
Show Notes
One of the great benefits of having a longstanding relationship with a customer is also one of the greatest threats to growing that business—familiarity.
Become “unfamiliar” with your existing customers and bring a fresh set of eyes to see the new opportunities you could pursue with them.
What business is coming to you because the buyer can’t find the solution anywhere else? Recognize and capture those opportunities.
What opportunities are your competitors overlooking? Each unmet need creates an opportunity.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul provides some practical ways to help you get back to it and maximize your performance after vacation.
Show Notes
Returning to the grind is tough. You unplug for a week or two and then, BAM, you’re right back at it. It’s like vacation never really happened.
Conduct a Weekend at Bernie’s pipeline review. Tune in to find out just what Paul means by that.
A deceptively inflated pipeline accounts for more missed quotas than poor performance.
Make sure your messaging is hyper-relevant to what is going on in the buyer’s world right now.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul discusses the importance of customer expectations and how to exceed those benchmarks.
Show Notes
Expectations are the true benchmarks of satisfaction.
Do not make the mistake of under promising because you will inevitably live down to those expectations.
Set the expectation high—then deliver!
How can you unexpectedly serve your customers better?
When you make big promises, you extend your capacity to create value.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul dives deep into handling price objections by showing the value you bring.
Show Notes
One of the biggest lies in business: “It’s just business.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
When you go above and beyond for the customer, when you answer that weekend call, you make it personal.
Remember, when customers challenge the price, they’re challenging the value.
How many of your customers need a reminder of the value you bring?
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul reminds you to TAKE A VACATION!
Show Notes
There are innumerable mental and physical benefits to taking time off.
Since the pandemic and the shift toward remote work, the lines between work, home, family, and fun have been blurred.
You can’t serve from an empty cup. Take a vacation and refill that cup.
Set your targets and goals every year with your vacation reward in mind.
When you are on vacation…be on vacation. Unplug completely! You and your family deserve it.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul tells what to do and what not to do when establishing a sales process.
Show Notes
A sales process will guide you through the uncertainty of customer decision making.
Deals will stall out. Where is the opportunity lost? A sales process will help you pinpoint where the deal fell through.
Your sales process should not be about how your company wants to sell, but how your customer wants to buy.
To have a successful sales process, you must follow the customer’s buying path.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul offers tips to help you maintain that high activity level and ensure your sales success, even in these slow summer months.
Show Notes
Messaging matters. We must communicate a message of value that will compel the prospect to act.
Listen in to find out those three questions you need to answer for impactful customer messaging.
When you identify a problem to solve, the customer is going to be more willing to meet with you.
Cold calling is not dead! It generates activity which generates momentum…which leads to successes.
The 1-4-1 approach is an effective way to get started. Tune in to find out more.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul offers four ideas to help you through that inevitable long sales cycle.
Show Notes
Adopt a small-wins approach. Small wins help you focus through a long cycle.
Timing is important. Show up early in the decision making process to get a seat at the table and show up often so you can spot those buying trigger events.
Throughout the sales cycle, identify pressure points that may establish urgency in the buyer’s process.
Groupthink is a thing. In a long, complex sales cycle, gain individual buy-in to leverage that Groupthink mentality.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul focuses on building strong customer relationships. Those relationships matter.
Show Notes
In two separate buyer surveys, “relationship with the salesperson” ranked higher (more important) than price.
Expand your footprint and meet multiple decision makers. The more people you meet with, the more protected the opportunity will be.
You are in the “hero” business. Make your customer look like a hero to their company, to their customers.
Ask tinkering questions. These questions will generate discussion on how you can get better for your customer.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul stresses the value of learning from your wins and your losses.
Show Notes
The pain of failure motivates us to learn. The excitement of winning…addictive.
Establish a benchmark of small wins from your ten most recent successes.
Hone in on the phase of your process at which you win/lose the deal.
Win or lose, schedule a debrief with the customer/prospect for candid feedback.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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In Paul’s interview with David Newman, they provide valuable insight into some of the most common challenges salespeople face, including connecting with those top prospects.
Show Notes
What do you like about sales? “We get to talk to people about solving their problems or getting their outcomes. We’re on the same side of the table. We’re on the same team… I think it’s a wonderful, collaborative process and at the end of it, you make money.” David Newman
“If we reframe the entire front-end of the sales process as simply a series of invitations to a conversation, I think all the mystery and all the drama starts to go away.” David Newman
Have one of your top executives read your prospecting message and ask, “Would you meet with me based on how this looks?” Be ready for an open and honest answer, but it will make you better.
“The best of the best are the ones who invest.” David Newman (Look at the “Best Of” lists.)
Tune in to find out just what “value-rich follow-up” means.
Find out more about David Newman and his new book Do It! Selling, at doitmarketing.com.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul discusses the importance of the sales process from a seller standpoint as well as the leadership standpoint.
Show Notes:
Selling is neither easy nor predictable. Having a sales process will guide you. Trust the process.
A sales process gives you structure to progress the sale forward.
Are you struggling? A sales process will help you identify the phase at which your sales are stalling so that you can dig deeper, train, and address the issue.
As a sales leader, you can more effectively coach your team. A sales process will help you identify where your folks are struggling.
Select-Pursue-Discover-Persuade
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Paul shares ideas on how to use the easiest, fastest way to grow your business—your referral network.
Show Notes
One of the easiest ways to reduce price sensitivity is to get referred into an opportunity.
Constantly build your network by participating in industry events, i.e., tradeshows, community events.
Identify and engage your greatest referral sources—your best, most satisfied customers.
Set the expectation that you will be asking your customer for referrals.
Once your customer has provided you a referral and introduction, it’s up to you to set the appointment as quickly as possible.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul gives you great tips to face the next recession with opportunity on your mind versus struggle.
Show Notes
It’s fine. I’m fine. Everthing’s fine…Not! You can’t outrun a recession. Be prepared.
Review your pipeline and increase your activity level by 25%.
Do not…DO NOT…lower your standards. Even in a recession, be sure the opportunities you are pursuing fit the profile for good business.
Identify problems your customers may be facing. That will open up some doors for you to solve those problems.
During a tough time, the competitive herd will be thinned. Be there for their customer base. Those customers will need someone to fill that gap.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul delves further into the best practice of differentiating your solution and standing out from the competition.
Show Notes
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. When looking at your solution, what do they see that is different from the competition?
If you’re able to offer something different, then you’re able to charge a premium for that.
Look at your customer’s Critical Buying Path®. Identify how you create unique value at each step along the way.
Being the same is lame. What makes your company unique, your solution unique, and you? What makes you a unique seller?
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul provides insight on how to improve communication by answering four important questions for your customers in your marketing one-sheet.
Show Notes
What do you call it when you explain who you are, what you do, and to whom you sell, and all in under 50 words? Listen and find out.
Do a deep dive into your company, your products/services, and yourself to uncover the value-added extras you offer your customers.
The definition of value is whatever the customer says it is. Give them the opportunity to tell you.
Every prospect you meet wants to know, “What will I gain from this relationship?” Your value proposition answers that question.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul focuses on the challenge of selling value in a tough, competitive market.
Show Notes
It begins with attitude. If you believe your solution is the same as everyone else’s, that’s exactly what your customer is going to think.
You must remind yourself that you are selling a unique, bundled package: the three dimensions of value (the company, the product, and you – the salesperson).
There is no commodity in creativity. Creatively add value to the customer experience.
Have you asked your customer this question: “What problems are you experiencing that I can help with?”
Become customer-focused. View the world through the eyes of the customer.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul has the privilege of speaking with John O’Leary about what and who gave him the strength and courage to overcome even the most devastating circumstances.
Show Notes
“The greatest generation wasn’t made great because their life was easy. It was actually extraordinarily difficult.” John O’Leary
Tough times expose our weaknesses so we can get stronger.
“We think, when the times are good, we can do it by ourselves…Then you go through the hard times, and you recognize how little you can do by yourself.” John O’Leary
The likelihood of you being born is 1 in 400 trillion. “Recognize the majesty and the miracle of your life.” John O’Leary
Consider this statement: “I choose to thrive because…” Tune in to hear John’s reasons.
“When hope becomes electrifying is when it’s not about just you.” John O’Leary
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares some great ideas that will help you become a top achiever.
Show Notes
Top achievers maintain a high level of activity. They are constantly filling the pipeline with opportunities.
High-value targets (HVTs) are the opportunities that yield the greatest return on your investment of time. Is your pipeline full of HVTs?
Build no fewer than six (6) key relationships in each opportunity.
Bringing in new customers is important, but remember to protect and grow those existing customers.
Top achievers strive to deliver more value to their customers.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul explains the importance of building solid relationships with your customers.
Show Notes
Relationship selling IS NOT DEAD! It is alive and kicking.
Top sales achievers consistently attribute their sales successes to their customer relationships.
Price is only an issue in the absence of value. The relationships you build with customers create immense value.
Every relationship you build is going to generate more opportunity for you to grow and your business to grow.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul offers suggestions to help bridge the divide between sales and operations to serve customers better.
Show Notes
As an organization, from the shop floor to the top floor, follow this bedrock philosophy: “Do more of that which adds value and less of that which adds little or no value.”
Conduct a “field day” with your counterpart in operations. You need to understand what he or she deals with day to day.
What can you do to make operations’ lives easier? Remember, the more good you give, the more you get. And most importantly, the customer experience will be that much better for it.
The more closely you connect your operations team to the customer, the more likely they are to go above and beyond to serve that customer better.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul tackles the issues that many salespeople have with the idea of selling to that ultimate decision maker.
Show Notes
You should be calling on high-level decision makers from the start! Tune in to find out why (and how).
When you’re interacting with a high-level decision maker, you have to provide meaningful insight. Tell them something they don’t know already.
Fewer than 10% of salespeople call on the ultimate decision maker.
When meeting with the high-level decision maker, emphasize how your solution will help them generate brand loyalty or retain customers.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares some insights to help you sell with a deeper purpose.
Show Notes
You must realize that you are not just selling a product, you are serving people. Imagine if you approached your work like that every day.
For some salespeople it’s all about making money—we need money. But find that deeper purpose behind the money, and you’ll find your true motivation.
When times are tough, maybe you can’t rely on money to be your motivation. The impact you have on your customer—make that your motivation.
As a salesperson, you have the opportunity every single day, to positively impact the life of another person.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares four ideas on how to build and sustain the value-added movement, but also some insight on why movements can fail.
Show Notes
Clarity-Communication-Commitment-Courage
As a leader, you must articulate your vision and purpose as a value-added organization. Be crystal clear.
At every company meeting, in every email, every team communication, drive that value-added message home.
Inner circle buy-in is key.
Take those small wins. They signal progress.
Celebrate the successes achieved along the way in building this important value-added movement.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul talks with John Register—former military, Olympic hopeful turned Paralympic medal winner. Listen to his inspiring story and how he “transformed adversity into advantage” in tough times.
Show Notes
“We think we know who we are when tough times are going to come, and we think we know how we’re going to show up. But we really don’t know how we’re going to show up until that time comes…And what is it that will come out of your mouth during that time? That’s the essence of who you are.” John Register
“The ‘Reckoning Moment’ is when we realize we do not get back what we desire to have back after some type of trauma has impacted our life.” John Register
Learn the three things that hold us back from making a commitment to the vision.
“We must allow ourselves space and the grace to learn in the new.” John Register
“I’m never going back to the way I used to be. No, you all need to catch up to where I am.” John Register
“You can still control your own destiny; you’ve got to just figure out who you’re going to surround yourself with to elevate.” John Register
Find out more about John and his inspiring story at JohnRegister.com
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Paul lays out a plan to focus your time, energy, and effort on the most viable sales opportunities.
Show Notes
As a salesperson, time is the currency you are investing. Be sure you’re not wasting it on the wrong opportunities.
Stop what you’re doing and put together a list of ideal targets. This is critical!
Create a profile based on the business you want to pursue as well as the business you want to avoid. Listen to the podcast to find out how.
Profit Piranhas: avoid these high-aggravation customers. If they’re not adding value, they haven’t earned your value added.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul provides seven basic principles of persuasion to incorporate into your sales pitch or presentation.
Show Notes
Regardless of who you’re persuading, the outcome must be equitable. Demonstrate the fairness of your solution.
If you want to WOW the customer, surprise them with an unexpected service or value added.
Scarcity creates demand. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is real.
When attempting to persuade the buyer, emphasize the cost of doing nothing versus the cost of moving forward.
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Paul interviews Matthew Pollard (The Rapid Growth® Guy), debunking the myth that all successful salespeople are extroverts.
Show Notes
“Surprisingly, while a lot of people feel that introverts struggle with sales, some of the best in the business…happen to be introverted.” Matthew Pollard
“I believe sales is a system. And I believe the best in the business in sales focus on a constant perfection of that system and making it an iterative process, and constantly focused on continuous improvement to be the best.” Matthew Pollard
We all find a way to be successful in our own way.
“We project extroversion on anyone that’s successful… Don’t think that you can’t succeed as an introvert.” Matthew Pollard
The biggest misconception that we see in the world of sales: One is that introverts can’t do it…and then two, that natural ability wins over system and process. No—system and process win each and every time.” Matthew Pollard
As an introvert in sales, “You do not want to become more extroverted. What you want to do is to learn to be the best version of yourself and lean into your natural strengths.” Matthew Pollard
Find out more about Matthew Pollard: https://matthewpollard.com/
Download a free chapter of Matthew’s book, The Introvert’s Edge: https://matthewpollard.com/theintrovertsedge/book
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Paul lays out four ways to be more persuasive and to move your deals forward, even in a tough time.
Show Notes
When your customers are tempted to hit Pause, you need to convince them to take action.
Use analogy. Just as some invest when the stock market is down, position your solution as an investment during this low period to help them be better prepared for the upturn that is to follow.
Help your customers think beyond the present tough time in two ways: past tough times (and how they overcame them), and the future (and how they want to be positioned).
Be a merchant of hope. Surround the customer with positive industry information.
Sell the buyer on the opportunity you are presenting them today. What does your solution enable the customer to do?
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Paul shares ideas on how to compete in this tough insurance market.
Show Notes
Begin the renewal process much earlier—six months prior to policy expiration. Tune in to the podcast to hear about the three-step renewal process.
Have constant communication with the client. Be sure to provide value at each interaction.
Conduct a thorough review with your clients every single year. During that review, highlight the ways you’ve created value.
If you are creating, reinforcing, delivering more value, it will be easier to push through that rate increase.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul spells out the importance of a full pipeline to your confidence and success in the new year.
Show Notes
You want more confidence when you’re selling? Get out there, get to work and increase your activity level until that pipeline is bursting.
A full pipeline will help you manage the valleys of tough times. Increase your activity now to prepare for that tough time.
Things happen. You are going to lose some deals. A full pipeline will hedge the impact of those lost deals.
Many of your sales colleagues will decrease their selling activity during a recession. Don’t be them! Increase your selling activity by 25%.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul lays it on the line—it’s not all about price! Paul shares three ideas to get you past discounting and on to value.
Show Notes
Did you make some resolutions for 2023? Maybe you should go on a “discounting diet” this month.
Think about how much harder you would sell value if discounting was not an option.
Don’t discount. Instead, bundle more value into your solution.
Leverage both hard and soft value to hold the line on pricing. Tune it to find out how.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul challenges you to embrace the hope and excitement of a new year, new opportunities, and a new start.
Show Notes
Start that new race. The slate is wiped clean.
Every new year brings an opportunity to grow.
Everything you achieve this year is a dividend on the investment that you’ve been making throughout your entire career.
Is this year your “bamboo” year? Tune in to find out just what that means.
Stretch yourself and find out just how great you can be.
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Paul helps you plan just how to kick off 2023 without feeling overwhelmed.
Show Notes
Planning is the key to starting the new year right. Be intentional.
Pick three high-value targets (your dream customers) and build an account plan for each.*
What small wins will lead to your success?
If you want to be a top achiever in 2023, you have to do what top achievers do.
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*Tough Times Target Account Planner
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Paul provides a three-step process to conduct a thorough year-end review with your best customers.
Show Notes
Get your year-end review scheduled, not to sell something, but to make sure your customer is capturing all the value that you promised.
Prepare for the meeting by gathering concrete examples of how your solution has positively impacted the customer.
Involve multiple decision-makers in this year-end review.
Ask for your customer’s feedback and opportunities for you to improve.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares ideas on managing the balance of sales: the grind and the beauty of this challenging profession.
Show Notes
Do you have a systemized process to prospect? This is critical!
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Keep challenging yourself.
Celebrate your successes, then get back to work!
Invest in yourself. You have to be a student of your profession.
Remember, it’s not about the deals we make, it’s about the difference we make for our customers.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to iTunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Mentioned in this podcast, Tony Robbins’ Awaken the Giant Within.
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Paul provides the necessary strategies to succeed when your customers try to “Walmart” you.
Show Notes
Never let any single customer become more than 20% of your business. That puts you in a terrible negotiating position.
Shift the conversation from “price” to “money.” Listen to find out more!
Create an army of internal champions. Internal champions may not have buying authority, but their opinion is their power.
Stop selling value to procurement-type buyers. They are the least likely to buy on value!
You, alone, make the choice whether to cut the price or not – not the customer. Hold the line!
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Next year starts today. It's time to revisit your end-of-year strategy. Whether you’re the team leader or a salesperson, Paul has tips on how to stay motivated and finish this year strong.
SHOW NOTES
Take an open, honest look at your pipeline of opportunity, especially during times of peak performance.
“Your pipeline is more likely to dry up when you experience success, not failure.”
The pain you’re going to feel of an empty pipeline is not going to happen right now; that pain will happen three, six, maybe even nine months down the road.
Selling to your existing customers is the easiest way to grow your business, so now is the time to leverage deals that you’ve already closed.
Do more––even if you’re already crushing it.
Start laying the groundwork today for the deals that you want to close next year.
You have time working on your side; put a couple of whales in that pipeline.
Click here to check out our Coaching for Sales Success public seminar.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares powerful tips and ideas to help you put together your sales dream team.
Show Notes
Create a profile. You must know what you’re looking for.
The worst time to look for a salesperson is when you have a position to fill.
Even if you are completely staffed, you need to maintain a steady pipeline of new top sales talent.
Recruiting top sales talent is the managerial equivalent of your salespeople prospecting for new business.
Broaden your search. The greatest salespeople may not be in sales.
Click here to check out our Coaching for Sales Success public seminar.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul addresses the critical factors of doing business ethically and with integrity.
Show Notes
Use your high ethical standards as a differentiator between you and your competitors.
Don’t stoop to your competitors’ benchmark of ethics.
If you lose business to an unethical competitor, still be gracious in defeat. Earn “safety net” status.
Through your frustration, remain 100% committed to your ethical standards. “Truth is undefeated.” (Gary Vaynerchuk)
Video mentioned in the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq17wmEfxU0
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul completes his three-part series on the benefits of a recession with the important reminder that you’ve got to shift your mindset and focus on opportunity, abundance, and improvement.
Show Notes
Good times can mask bad sales behaviors. Recessions will reveal your weaknesses, which will help you become stronger.
Humility is a misunderstood virtue in business. We cannot improve until we first admit we need to improve.
Tough times force you to get creative in how you approach your business.
During tough times you will get some unique opportunities. You’ve got to view them through the optimistic lens of abundance.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul continues his three-part series on the benefits of a recession with three more reasons why recessions can be good for you, your company, and your customers.
Show Notes
Recessions will increase the number of decision makers. Why is that a good thing?
When your competitors get scared during tough times and cut marketing budgets and sales staff, that is a great opportunity for you.
While your competitor slows their selling activity during a recession, increase your selling activity level by 25% and double your coverage.
Your attitude during tough times will either encourage you to move forward, or it’s going to hold you back. Which will it be?
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Itunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
In this podcast and the subsequent two episodes, Paul looks to inspire you to go out and find opportunities and thrive as we go through this downturn.
Show Notes
A negative attitude towards a recession can obscure your view from the more positive outcomes you can generate.
During a downturn, your customers are looking for cost-cutting measures. This is actually an opportunity masquerading as an objection.
Recessions will ease competitive pressure.
Economic downturn gives you greater access to higher-level decision makers. How so, Paul? Tune in to find out.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul tackles the tough situation in which the seller gives the customer incorrect pricing.
Show Notes
Remember…everyone makes mistakes. Take ownership of the mistake and acknowledge it to the customer.
Explain the misunderstanding and do your best to resolve the situation. You may win greater loyalty from the customer.
Tap into your loyal customers for some testimonials on your business integrity. Share these with the unhappy customer.
Offer to bring a technical expert in for another set of eyes and ears.
Try again on this customer’s next project.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul and Mario discuss three ways to improve your prospecting effort.
Show Notes
“Sales is the art of helping.” Mario Martinez Jr.
“If we help, they buy. If we do good, they buy more. And if we do really, really good, we build solid relationships.” Mario Martinez Jr.
“Show them that you know them. Be interested to become interesting.” Mario Martinez Jr.
(Tune in to find out just what Mario means by that.)
Where there’s a problem, there’s opportunity.
Your social media brand should show “…who you help, how you help, and what business problem you can solve.” Mario Martinez Jr.
Connect with Mario on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mthreejr. Be sure to let him know why/how you know him—make it personal. Learn more about his company, Vengreso.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul and Brandon unpack the secrets to a full and successful sales pipeline.
Show Notes
Learn the sales-funnel math to hit your quota and be successful.
“The top salespeople—they prep, they write, they prepare those scripts on all of those sales objections in advance so when they’re ready to go play that ‘Super Bowl Game’ (which is a connection or time on the calendar to pitch and close a deal), they’re ready to go.” Brandon Bornancin
“You have to be coachable. You have to be obsessed with improving 1% a day. The only way to get trained is by giving up your ego.” Brandon Bornancin
Success and performance are a function of motivation and ability.
“Sales is the only profession that can take you from broke to financially free as fast as humanly possible with the lowest amount of time, or money, or education as possible.” Brandon Bornancin
“Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle.” Brandon Bornancin
Learn more about Brandon Bornancin and his company, Seamless.AI.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares his #1 sales tip that will help you be more successful T-O-D-A-Y.
Show Notes
SPOILER ALERT: Stretch the buyer’s time horizon into the future…and the past. Listen to learn why and how.
When you’re trying to improve in any way, focus on ONE thing to make a change.
Ask questions that help your customer focus on the outcomes.
When the customer shares their long-term goals, go back to them and present your long-term solution and the value it brings.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul outlines three ideas on how you can turn the customer’s uncertainty into opportunity.
Show Notes
Your customers don’t need to be coddled; they need to be challenged.
Lead with your expertise to guide your customers through uncertain times.
Through uncertainty, decision makers want stable partners and predictable solutions.
Does your solution help the buyer reach their ultimate vision? Clear that fog of uncertainty and detail a better vision for the future.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul discusses the unique and complicated aspects of multi-million dollar sales with Carter Alexander of Aviation Commerce and Shared Sky.
Show Notes
The process may be different, but it’s still about relationships.
“The most time-consuming aspect of it is just getting past the layers and getting to the decision maker. Because guys that are at that level of stature make pretty quick decisions and they can live with those decisions pretty readily.” Carter Alexander
Attitude drives behavior. Have the faith that you will get the deal done.
Acknowledging the small wins will help you stay focused on those long sales cycles.
Find out more about what Carter Alexander does at AviationCommerce.com and SharedSky.com.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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You don’t want to miss this fascinating and powerful interview with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. Along with so much other beneficial information, they discuss three tips to be anxious “the right way.”
Show Notes
Do you live in a constant state of anxiety? This can be a good thing…really!
“Anxiety feels like fear…so we often equate it with fear. But anxiety has nothing to do with the present tense. Anxiety makes us mental time travelers—into the future.” Dr. Tracy
“Anxiety is a helpmate in pushing us to strive to meet those future goals.” Dr. Tracy
We’re anxious for a reason and we need to listen to those signals.
“Anxiety prompts you to make a plan.” Dr. Tracy
Find out more about Dr. Tracy and her fascinating research at DrTracyPHD.com. Order her book, Future Tense, wherever you get your books.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to iTunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul shares some great tips to help you steer clear of becoming that pushy salesperson.
Show Notes
Approach the conversation with a mindset of serving your customer.
The times we (salespeople) come across as pushy are when we focus on ourselves (what we want to sell) versus what the customer needs.
Remind the customer of their needs through a needs analysis prior to making a recommendation.
Ask some opinion-seeking questions and follow the buyer’s lead. Are they giving you buying signals? That’s when you ask for the commitment.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to iTunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul and Phil Gerbyshak have a great conversation about those middle-of-the-funnel stalls every seller experiences. They also tackle dealing with multiple decision makers and social media in this jam-packed podcast.
Show Notes
Go back to the buyer and find out what happened. “I like truth. I don’t like guesswork.” Phil Gerbyshak
“I believe in value over volume. Because value = progress.” Phil Gerbyshak
You’ve uncovered a specific need for the buyer. Schedule your next meeting before that need is de-prioritized.
Most social-media profiles stink. “Look at your profile through the eyes of the prospect. If you read it to them and they don’t throw up, you’re probably on the right path.” Phil Gerbyshak
“I believe to sell is to serve, and that’s why I love to sell.” Phil Gerbyshak
Find out more at Philgerby.com. Follow/connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philgerb/. Phil also offers a free LinkedIn profile report card: https://bit.ly/profilereportcard.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to iTunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul offers tips to help you initiate contact with high-level decision makers (HLDMs).
Show Notes
Ninety percent of salespeople DO NOT call at this level. That’s good news for you!
Work on getting a referral from within the industry. Tap into your LinkedIn network.
Focus your message on what’s important to HLDMs. Identify a problem you can solve for them.
Go where the HLDMs go.
Don’t forget the “high-level schmooze.” Tune in to find out what that means.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Itunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul lays out four excellent reasons why you, the salesperson, should handle customer complaints.
Show Notes
The seller understands the context of the complaint—what’s going on in the customer’s world.
Salespeople have a lot of skin in the game and will work tirelessly to resolve the problem.
Resolving your customer’s complaint is a relationship-building opportunity.
As the seller, do you want to leave your customer in the hands of someone else when it comes to their satisfaction and loyalty?
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to iTunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul provides tips to manage your sales pipeline heading into Q4 2022.
Show Notes
Many salespeople do not have a full pipeline. You need the 3-2-1 pipeline ratio. (Listen to find out what that is.)
In tough times, your pipeline ratio changes to _______.
How often do you purge your pipeline of dead and stalled deals?
You must increase your activity level to maintain your pipeline.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Itunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul throws down the gauntlet and challenges you to completely unplug on vacation.
Show Notes
Biggest challenge: leave your laptop and work phone at home. WHAAAT!
If you are not able to take a vacation because you fear losing an opportunity or missing a sale, you need to find a better way to manage your customers.
Spend a week preparing for your vacation. Prep your team and prep your customers.
Take your vacation when your best customers take their vacations.
Face it. You’re not as important at work as you think you are.
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Paul offers sales managers a different perspective when it comes to non-compliance to policies and procedures.
Show Notes
Take an honest look at the process of getting pushback. Does this policy or procedure add any value to the customer experience?
Cost without value diminishes you in the marketplace.
Regarding top salespeople, do their results have a greater impact than their pushback?
Educate your people on why this policy, process, or procedure is important. Gain buy-in instead of compliance.
Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Itunes to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button.
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Paul talks with Aidan McCann of Outré Creative, a global marketing design firm, about how sellers can be more relevant, persuasive, and close more sales by thinking like marketers.
Show Notes
“Marketing is more important now than ever before given that the composition of the marketplace has changed dramatically over the last couple of years.” Aidan McCann
“Marketers realize that we have to have integrated solutions that have a number of different levels of messaging to them.” Aidan McCann
“When a seller approaches someone, they have to bear in mind that people are at different points in their buying journey or life cycle.” Aidan McCann
At a tactical level, it’s vital for the seller to have a value proposition statement specific to the customer’s needs and where they are in that buying journey.
Drip feed content: “Cadence is an important part of effective marketing and sales. You have to release content or collateral, or market at the right time. And it has to look like you’re in tune with the activities of the potential buyer as opposed to just doing an information dump.” Aidan McCann
Learn more about Outré Creative.
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Paul shares tips to get you out of the buyer’s email in-box and back in front of them for in-person presentations.
Show Notes
Explain that there are elements of your proposal that you need to walk through in person.
Ask the buyer to consider how many phone calls, emails, and voicemails it takes to replace one in-person meeting.
Emphasize the importance and complexity of the decision they are making.
Offer to bring in your tech experts and your high-level personnel to build perceived value into your in-person presentation.
The best way to get rid of an old expectation is to set a new one.
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Paul shares some ideas on how to move that deal past procurement and on to the close.
Show Notes
Reach out to other decision makers on the project and have them champion your solution with procurement.
Introduce a benign sense of fear. What does that mean?
Find out what scares this procurement buyer more than your price.
Establish a deal timeline to help generate some urgency in their buying decision.
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Paul shares some inspiring advice to help you remain hopeful even when you are struggling.
Show Notes
Your faith (in your success) has to be greater than your fear (of failing).
“Not failing” is not the same as succeeding.
Make your dreams bigger than your doubt. “Dream big enough to make your bones itch.” Tom Reilly
Make your hope greater than your hesitation. Don’t focus on what could go wrong, but on what could go right.
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Paul interviews renowned sales author, Jeb Blount, about his newest offering, Selling the Price Increase, available June 15, 2022.
Show Notes
“Your primary role is to make your customers happy. Price increases don’t make them happy.” Jeb Blount
What’s in the buyer’s mind when you ask for a price increase:
- What’s in it for me?
- What have you done for me lately?
“Don’t let the first conversation you have with a new account, that you’ve never met before, be a price increase conversation.” Jeb Blount
Sales leaders – “Your salespeople are not going to be able to ‘sell’ the price increase until you ‘sell’ it to them. Begin with explaining ‘why’.” Jeb Blount
Learn more about Jeb Blount at JebBlount.com.
Find Jeb’s new book, Selling the Price Increase, wherever you get your books.
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Paul shares some insights on the indicators of a recession.
Show Notes
“The stock market has predicted nine of the last five recessions.” Paul Samuelson, American economist. (Maybe don’t just look at the stock market.)
Purchasing Managers Index is above 50% (at the time of recording) but trending downward.
Inflation and the Federal Reserve’s reaction to it is another indicator of an impending recession.
Go to “main street” and get some feedback. Talk to your friends. Your general sense of unease is real.
There’s always going to be tough times on the horizon. But there’s always an even longer period of growth to follow.
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Paul provides seven tips to deal with the inevitable issue of losing your main contact.
Show Notes
How many good relationships do you have within your top customers? How many should you have?
When meeting the new decision maker, reinforce the popularity of your solution.
Discuss your new key contact’s expectations and goals.
When transitioning to a new contact, treat the business as new business.
Ask the new contact how you can make this transition easier for them.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul lays out your rights, as the salesperson, in the competitive bidding process. Show Notes
Let the customer know your rights as the salesperson:
- Access to the information you need to compile your proposal
- Access to decision makers
- To know the selection criteria
- To know who the competition is
“If you’re willing to put your time and energy and effort into a comprehensive bid, you deserve this information.”
“What do you hope to achieve in a bid that we cannot gain just working together, one on one?” A negotiated contract is always better than a competitive bid.
If possible, deliver the proposal in person.
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Paul provides some great tips for getting face-to-face meetings with that remotely working buyer.
Show Notes
Sellers need to have a compelling reason why the buyer should meet with them in person.
Test your relationship with the customer. Reach out to them and ask for a favor: “Can I take you out to lunch?”
Offer to bring along an expert or colleague (i.e., tech person) that will provide the buyer even more value.
Position the face-to-face meeting as a time saver. One in-person meeting can take the place of three Zoom meetings.
If you’re having no luck meeting with your regular buyer, reach out to other decision makers and create group buy-in.
Show proof that your face-to-face meeting will create value for the buyer.
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Paul addresses this common tactic designed to throw you, the salesperson, off your game.
Show Notes
Review the types of questions you’re asking. Are they open-ended or close-ended? Direct or indirect?
Always get permission to ask questions.
Be transparent and ask the buyer why they’re hesitant to share information.
Rebalance the pressure. (Tune in to find out what Paul means by that.)
Enlarge the conversation to remind the buyer of the complexity of their needs.
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Paul shares some thoughts on the sanctity of the customer/seller relationship.
Show Notes
“It is not my prospect. It is not my customer. It is our prospect. It is our customer.” It’s not just one person who will manage the end-to-end customer experience, it’s a team of people.
Be objective in determining who is better suited to handle this relationship. If it’s you, make your sales manager aware.
Team members need to build each other up.
Take a team approach and leverage the strength of the relationship that another team member may have with this customer.
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Paul discusses post-pandemic trends in meeting and conventions, and the benefits of in-person gatherings, with Molly Mullins of Seven12 Management (an association management company).
Show Notes
“You will not believe the benefits that you will reap, again and again and again, with your team: having them back in a room together, having them network together, having them laugh together.” Molly Mullins.
That face-to-face interaction is so critical. It’s one of those intangible things.
“There is such a level of gratitude to have the human connection again that I think people overlook so much that worried them before, that irritated them before.” Molly Mullins
People don’t want to sit and be talked at anymore. Peer-to-peer engagement is key.
Find out more about Seven12 Management at Seven12Management.com.
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Paul talks with Andy Paul about selling on your own terms and avoiding those “salesy” behaviors.
Show Notes
“Selling out means you, as the seller, putting your own interests ahead of those of the buyer. That leads to ‘salesy’ behaviors.” Andy Paul
“If the products are identical, what is the difference? You!” Andy Paul
Why you? This question gets to the heart of being that customer-focused seller.
If you can demonstrate to the buyer that your motivation is based on their wants and needs, you’re going to have more business than you know what to do with.
“Your job, as a seller, is to listen to the buyer, understand what’s most important to them, help them get that.” Andy Paul
Connect with Andy through LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/realandypaul, and visit his website: https://www.andypaul.com/
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Paul has the privilege of speaking with John O’Leary on what and who gave him the strength and courage to overcome even the most devastating circumstances. Show Notes
“The greatest generation wasn’t made great because their life was easy. It was actually extraordinarily difficult.” John O’Leary
Tough times expose our weaknesses so we can get stronger.
“We think, when the times are good, we can do it by ourselves…Then you go through the hard times, and you recognize how little you can do by yourself.” John O’Leary
The likelihood of you being born is 1 in 400 trillion. “Recognize the majesty and the miracle of your life.” John O’Leary
Consider this statement: “I choose to thrive because…” Tune in to hear John’s reasons.
“When hope becomes electrifying is when it’s not about just you.” John O’Leary
Learn more about John’s incredible story at JohnOLearyinspires.com.
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Paul shares four tips to help you minimize the effects of a recession on your selling efforts.
Show Notes
“When we face adversity…our immediate response is a testament to our mental strength.”
Avoid self-pity. It is a destroyer of our mental strength. When is the last time you felt better after feeling sorry for yourself?
Increase your prospecting activity to offset a recessionary lull.
To prepare for the next recession, begin looking at cost-cutting opportunities to benefit your customers. Not price cutting—cost cutting.
Craft compelling messaging by answering these three questions…
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Paul conducts an eye-opening interview with Sylvie di Giusto that will help you understand and improve that first impression you’re making.
Show Notes
“Unfortunately, a very powerful force will be working against you, and that force is called bias—unconscious bias.” Sylvie di Giusto
“Use that powerful force to your advantage. Give them something you want to give them in the very first micro-moments, and something they expect. Because confirmation bias will then also work in your favor…” Sylvie di Giusto
It is very challenging to overcome a negative first impression.
“It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing the best you can.” Sylvie di Giusto
Find out more about Sylvie di Giusto and take her complimentary perception audit: sylviedigiusto.com/audit
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Paul lays out three tips on persuading your prospects and customers. Show Notes
Analogy is a very effective tool in selling:
- Lay out the broader concept that you’re selling
- Identify how the buyer already uses this concept in business
- Show the linkage within your solution
Change is more likely to happen when that change emanates from within. Lead the buyer in a way that helps them self-discover their needs and the solution to those needs.
Invoke the law of reciprocity. Offer complimentary products, services, demos, even lunch. The customer may feel the need to reciprocate.
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Paul addresses how to manage cheap competitors that drastically undercut your price.
Show Notes
Throw some shade: “Doesn’t that pricing scare you at all? What are they leaving out? What are they missing?”
Look at your cheap competitor’s customer base. Do you really want to focus on that type of customer?
Move the customer past price and point out the other criteria that is important to them.
What other concessions, besides price, can you make?
Be transparent with your costs and appeal to the customer’s sense of fairness.
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Paul explains how to keep that door open even after a sale is lost.
Show Notes
Do a thorough post-mortem after you lose a sale. Don’t automatically blame it on price.
Was it okay to lose that business? If so, move on.
Be gracious in your defeat and offer yourself as a safety net should the competitor drop the ball.
Follow up with your prospect during the transition. You may discover some opportunities to show your value added.
Offer the customer something new with your solution. Make it easier for them to swallow their pride and change their mind.
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Paul discusses some techniques to safeguard your customers from the lure of cheaper alternatives.
Show Notes
Focus on the unknowns your customer may face with a cheaper competitor. Will they have the inventory, the service, the quality?
Highlight what the customer would lose by going with the cheaper alternative (i.e., your reliability and knowledge).
Social pressure carries a lot of weight. Utilize your internal champions and influencers to remind the customer of why they went with you in the first place.
Being customer focused means acting in the best interest of your customer. This may mean helping them get out of their own way.
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Paul shares an experience to allay the worries from the uncertainties you face in sales. Show Notes
Anticipation of potential distress is often worse than the actual event.
The most repeated phrase in the best-selling book of all time is, “Don’t be afraid.” Great words to live by.
Most of the worries we anticipate don’t actually happen.
When you’re filled with worry and angst, remember, it doesn’t matter if you fail. In the grand scheme of things, losing a sale is a small blip on the radar.
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Paul addresses different techniques to help you uncover buyers’ needs.
Show Notes
“Asking better questions will force the prospect to think deeper.”
Remind the customer of the cost of sticking with the status quo.
Identify what the customer will gain from making a change, not what they sacrifice.
Remove barriers and make the change as easy as possible.
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Paul provides five tips for responding to adversity and how to build resilience. Show Notes
Track your first response to adversity. How do you react?
Step out from what is comfortable. Put yourself in a position where failure is a possibility.
Conduct thorough post-mortem reviews after your sales calls.
“Embrace the suck.” Make the best of the situation.
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Paul offers tips on growing your business with existing customers, and when that should happen.
Show Notes
Intention is more important than timing. First, make sure the customer is fully satisfied with their experience.
In your review with the customer, give them the opportunity to complain.
Remember, always reinforce the value you brought to their experience.
Look for additional problems to solve for the customer.
The sooner you can reach out after the sale the better.
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Paul shares some ideas on this crucial question of discernment. Show Notes
Be proactive. Know the business you want to pursue and what not to pursue.
Profile your best customers to help you find new customers.
Create a profile for the customers you want the competition to have.
Determine the opportunity cost: Is what you sacrifice worth what you gain from this customer?
Be sure you’re getting as good as you’re giving. This may mean a price increase to the troublesome customer. Are they willing to pay for your value?
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Paul provides tips on asking questions during discovery to encourage a good information exchange.
Show Notes
Direct questions can often be high risk and may turn the buyer off. Try it this way: “What’s important to you when making your buying decisions?”
When the customer brings up price, set it aside. Focus the conversation on the outcomes the customer wants.
If the customer still wants to talk price, call attention to what they’ve said is important to them, then ask, “Is the price you’re willing to pay consistent with the outcomes you want to achieve?”
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
After recent training sessions in Anchorage, Paul extolls the benefits of selling like an Alaskan.
Show Notes
Be proactive. Anticipate the customer’s needs. Being proactive is not a nicety in Alaska, it’s a necessity.
“Don’t send in your truck half empty.” Sell your complete solution.
When there are tough times, support your customers and your community.
How eager are you to learn and improve in your profession?
De-commoditize your solution. Remember that your bundled package includes the value you bring to the table.
Integrity – Make a commitment to be open and honest with the customer.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul revisits a key question from early 2020 that is as relevent as ever at the start of this year. Learn ten signals that indicate a customer or prospect is ready to buy.
Show Notes:
The customer will let you know when they are ready to buy. The customer will give you several verbal and non-verbal signals.
“An interested buyer will ask for the price. Some salespeople confuse this question as a price objection.” Why would they ask the price if they weren’t interested?
“Don’t be too influenced by the tone of the customer.” Instead, analyze the content of their message, not the context. If a customer seems dissatisfied with your longer lead time, it means they want your product sooner.
What’s the difference between a customer saying “your product” versus “my product”? Look for possessive descriptors.
A buyer will ask overly technical questions as a last line of defense for poor decision making.
Do you have them on the edge of their seat? If so, they are engaged.
The most obvious verbal buying signal is “yes”.
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Paul talks with Carrie Burggraf, of Home Care Assistance of Missouri LLC, about the importance of going beyond price and helping the prospect understand the emotion behind their decision.
Show Notes
“When you’re in sales every day looks different.” Carrie Burggraf
Are you “uninvested” in your outcome (i.e., the sale), and more empathetic to the prospects needs?
Find out why: “I have actually gotten as many referrals from people I didn’t help as people I did help.” Carrie Burggraf
Enlarge the conversation beyond price: “Asking a lot of questions to understand what they’re trying to accomplish and what their thinking is and helping them figure out their priorities can help you show value over price.” Carrie Burggraf
Ask the customer, “If you do nothing, is there a cost to that?” Carrie Burggraf
Emotion plays a role, so we, as salespeople, have to understand that and make that part of the process.
Find out more about Home Care Assistance.
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Paul lays out how to shorten the lead time from initial contact to closing.
Show Notes
Make sure you are communicating directly with the person who has the money and can say yes to your solution. Don’t rely on a middleman to sell your solution for you.
Amidst all their other commitments and priorities, you must remind the customer of the need for your solution.
When a buyer feels more pressure to buy your solution, that will speed up the timeline.
Create a gap between the buyer’s needs and the competitor’s solution.
Do you want repeat business? Tinker-Reinforce-Leverage
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul extols the benefits of taking time for reflection and restoration during the last week of the year.
Show Notes
Burnout is real. Take a break and start the new year with all your gas in the tank.
You deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ve earned it.
Take the time to tap into your deeper purpose.
Find your motivation for the new year by reflecting on your progress through the outgoing year.
Stop waiting to be happy. Happiness is a choice you make.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul talks with the president and owner of Industrial Bolt & Supply, Michelle St. John, about her tactics for self-motivation and customer satisfaction during these ongoing tough times.
Show Notes
Make big, but realistic, promises. Don’t under-promise or you may end up living down to those low expectations.
If you are facing supply-chain issues, looking for alternative and creative solutions is critical.
“Giving your salespeople the tools to help them retain their prices is important.” Michelle St. John
“The better your plan, and then the better your commitment to your plan—your ability to commit to the plan and work the plan—the better your outcome.” Michelle St. John
“We know that we can’t possibly pitch a solution until we’ve garnered some trust.” Michelle St. John
“More communication is better. We want to empower our salespeople, and we feel like information is power.” Michelle St. John
Hope is in high demand in tough times. Be a merchant of hope for your peers and your customers.
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Find out more about Industrial Bolt & Supply.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul explains why you don’t want to discount…especially in tough times.
Show Notes
Don’t establish that discounting precedent. Today’s exception (in tough times) becomes tomorrow’s expectation (all the time).
Discounting devalues your solution.
Lead with your best price. Stick with your best price. It’s about integrity.
“Eating inflationary costs may leave you starving.”
Don’t discount. Instead, create more value for your customers.
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Paul shares important tips on moving the customer from what they’re currently using to your solution.
Show Notes
For buyers who don’t want to change, focus on what they stand to gain. Get them to think past what they sacrifice today.
Present the opportunity value of your solution.
Find a parallel between your solution and a similar decision the buyer has made in other parts of the organization.
Outline the small wins you need to achieve to make the sale.
Help the buyer along the path of self-discovery. Sell the idea of your solution as if it were the buyer’s idea.
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Paul addresses the customer’s need for quantifiable proof of your solution’s viability.
Show Notes
How does your solution impact the customer’s profitability or cash flow?
Does your solution reduce overall cost for the customer? Let the customer know.
How does your solution create new opportunities for the customer?
“Focus the customer’s attention on the most immediate and the most tangible outcome.”
Make the customer part of the data-gathering process. This adds validity to the information you provide.
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Paul extols the benefits of recharging after a run of lousy sales luck.
Show Notes
Make a date with your champions—your raving fans. Doing that will fill you up!
Get with your sales manager for some joint calls. Not sure how to explain it, but it will make a difference.
“Sometimes, the best way to get charged up is to unplug.” Do something that brings you joy.
During a trying time, you need to substitute your outcome-based goal with an activity-based goal. When you achieve that goal, you’ll experience a renewed sense of confidence.
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Paul warns about overwhelming the customer with too many choices.
Show Notes
“A multitude of choices will create a poverty of attention.”
Customers want only choices that are most relevant to their needs.
Profile your customers based on their needs, then recommend those relevant services.
Introduce your services in stages. Don’t spill the beans all at once.
Re-educate the buyer on a regular basis. Revisit services you’ve mentioned in the past.
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Don’t miss Paul’s high energy interview with Pat Hilton, of Acoustic Force Media, on the importance of marketing your brand on social platforms.
Show Notes
“If you can find those slots of peoples’ lives that need a solution, and it’s your solution, your product, your expertise, that’s where you find the sales.” Pat Hilton
The #1 reason decision makers are willing to meet with a salesperson is because “it appears they can solve a business problem.”
“Salespeople have these ‘bad vibes’ that go with them, when in reality, these are the people that are stimulating the economy and keeping innovation and entrepreneurship alive. They’re actually the good guys.” Pat Hilton
People define value in their own terms. We have to understand that. We’ve got to speak their language.
“What are people missing out on by not buying your product? You’ve got to be a wheel in peoples’ machines.” Pat Hilton
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Want to find out more? Just Google Pat Hilton. He’s the handsome one, not the old soccer player.
Also mentioned in this podcast, Who Not How, by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
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Paul talks to nationally syndicated columnist, speaker, former marine, and author of Bulletproof Selling, Shawn Rhodes.
Show Notes
Hope is not a strategy. Replace hope with certainty.
“What things do you need to learn during this call to justify not only their time (your prospect’s time) but your time, because your time is valuable as a salesperson as well.” Shawn Rhodes
Do you know the difference between a sales process and a sales system?
“What you plan for today and what you think is a best practice as a sales leader or a senior salesperson may not be the thing that’s really going to work best for your team.” Shawn Rhodes
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Find out more about Shawn Rhodes at Bulletproof-Selling.com.
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Paul provides insight as to the importance of your tone when communicating with customers.
Show Notes
In the midst of ongoing pandemic fallout, you need to ensure that your customer messaging strikes an empathetic tone.
Put yourself in the position of the customer: think how they think and feel as they feel.
Before clicking SEND, have a colleague or sales manager read the message and get some feedback on your tone. Your message may read differently than you thought.
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Paul explains why limiting the options you give the customer is beneficial all around.
Show Notes
Give the customer three options. Any more than three create angst and indecision—or worse—the wrong decision.
Guide your customer to the option that will most completely satisfy their needs: “The choice is yours, but based on the information you shared with me, this is going to be the best option.”
Provide social proof for the solution that best suits the customer’s needs: testimonials, endorsements, etc.
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Paul shares seven characteristics of tough timers.
Show Notes
Resilient – Tough timers push through those tough moments. Track your response to adversity to determine how resilient you are.
Visionary – Tough timers look past the pain of the present. You must have a vision of a brighter future.
Pragmatic optimist – Tough timers embrace the good habits of a pessimist…What does that mean?
Opportunistic – Tough timers can see the opportunity in every struggle.
Are you a tough timer? Tune in to the podcast for the full list of tough-timer characteristics.
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Paul provides some insight into why sellers discount…and why they should not have that authority.
Show Notes
Salespeople discount because they can. They will discount to the parameters they are given. Do not let salespeople have discounting authority!
Salespeople fear losing the business. They forget how much power they have in a negotiation.
You don’t have to be the cheapest to win. Review your success stories.
Sellers need to be trained on how to sell value.
“Rather than thinking of ways you can discount, think of ways that you can create more value.”
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Paul explains why tough times provide your greatest leveraging opportunities.
Show Notes
During moments of uncertainty and when they’re fearful, people tighten their grip on the status quo. This is good for you when selling to existing customers.
In tough times, your customers are going to experience new problems. You might as well be the one to solve them.
During tough times, you need to protect your profitability. Leverage a price increase to shed those “profit piranhas” in your customer base.
Connect your high-level decision makers (HLDMs) with your customer’s HLDMs. “When your companies connect at that level, good things happen.”
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Paul provides guidance to help you maneuver those mental hurdles that may bring you down in these strange and challenging times.
Show Notes
Acknowledge the tough times, but don’t accept them as final.
“Fuhgeddaboudit.” Experience and learn from your failure, then move on.
Operate with an “abundance” mindset. There’s opportunity all around, but you have to go out there and find it.
It’s critical in tough and uncertain times that you truly believe there is more out there for you.
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Paul delves into the difficult challenge of competing on value against large, multi-faceted entities.
Show Notes
“Stretch the time horizon to emphasize your long-term value.” Get procurement past the transaction and into the end-to-end experience.
“Enlarge the conversation beyond price.”
Emphasize how your solution impacts the customer—the outcomes it will help them achieve.
Be sure you are talking to the right decision maker!
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Paul shares the best methods to sell and market new services to your target audience.
Show Notes
However you market your new services, what “trigger events” can you utilize?
When cold calling, determine that timing “sweet spot” for your target prospects.
Consider a direct-mail marketing campaign prior to cold calling. When people experience multiple channels of influence, they are more likely to say yes.
Post a simple video on social media about the new services you are offering.
Leverage partnerships with other professionals (i.e., real estate and insurance agents).
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Paul discusses turning a negative service issue into a positive for you and the customer.
Show Notes
Service failures are opportunities!
Find out how this service failure happened and explain without using excuses.
Give the customer an outlet to vent their frustrations.
Get the customer’s feedback and create a plan to fix the issue so it doesn’t happen again.
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Paul dives into this critical element of sales: the discovery sales call.
Show Notes
Do not be seller focused. You’re there to learn about the customer’s needs.
Suspend your assumptions and go in with curiosity about the customer’s needs.
Don’t interview the customer. You want to have a dialogue that will help you and the customer discover something new.
Are you asking the right questions to promote dialogue? Listen to this episode for some great questions to use in your discovery sales call.
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Paul shares tips that will open the door to repeat business with your existing customers.
Show Notes
Identify ways to create more value for your existing customers.
Ask your customers how you can improve for them.
Value-reinforcement: remind the customer of the value you deliver. They may reward you with additional orders.
Look for problems your customers may be experiencing…and solve them.
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Paul offers tips on how to sell a better solution than the buyer is accustomed to.
Show Notes
Predispose the buyer to your message of value.
Ask questions that cast doubt on the solution they are currently using.
Present the impact of a more comprehensive plan or solution. Conversely, make the buyer aware of the potential consequences of staying with a less comprehensive policy or solution.
“The impact is what compels a buyer to act.”
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Paul shares some impactful ways to remain hopeful through tough times.
Show Notes:
“The true test of your mental strength is when you have the ability to keep moving forward, even when you do feel hopeless.”
Shrink your time horizon. Focus on what you have to achieve immediately.
How would the mentally toughest person you know handle the tough times you’re facing?
“Don’t compare your progress to the progress of others. The only person you are competing with is yourself.”
“Filter your focus to look for the good, the positive.”
“Even on the toughest days, remain hopeful that what you’re going through will be a defining moment in your life.”
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul and Alex Brockman of CSG (Cornerstone Solutions Group) discuss how to thrive and grow even in the adversity of the ongoing pandemic.
Show Notes
How many decision makers are involved in your selling process?
How are you “multi-threading your relationships in key accounts so that you can not only weather a situation like that (decision-maker turnover), but come out on the better side of it”? Alex Brockman
You need layered relationships within an organization. Get buy-in from multiple levels.
“Tough times are a catalyst for positive change.”
“Whenever the challenge is ahead of us and we’re right in the middle of it, that’s usually whenever greatness happens.” Alex Brockman
“You have to put yourself in a position where success is your only option.”
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios! Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul offers tips on the timely issue of supply shortages and meeting the customer’s current and future needs.
Show Notes
Is this upgraded solution better for the customer in the long run? “Will it give them more opportunity?”
Stretch the customer’s time horizon backwards to remind them of how they’ve grown and will continue to grow.
Highlight the cost of doing nothing.
“Sell the opportunity value of the upgraded equipment.” What will this solution allow the customer to do tomorrow that they cannot do today?
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios! Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul deals with the sticky situation of winning the customer back after a bad experience.
Show Notes
You’ve got to acknowledge the previous issue and own the mistake.
Strike an empathetic tone when reaching out to this customer.
Has the problem been resolved so it will not happen again?
Let the customer know, with some small act of consideration, that you want them back.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios! Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul interviews Matthew Berra, New Business Development Manager at SYSCO, discussing proposal integrity, cold calling, and planning.
Show Notes:
Be proactive and put a proprietary information statement on your proposal to dissuade the prospect from sharing your proposal with your competitors.
The difference between a pest and a persistent seller—the persistent seller creates value at every single interaction.
“The hardest door to open is the car door. You actually have to get out of that car—knock on that door.” Matthew Berra
Be unique, creative. Standout in that prospect’s eyes.
The 6 Ps: “Proper planning prevents piss-poor performance.” Matthew Berra
“You can’t control how someone’s going to feel that day, how someone’s going to talk to you that day. All you can control is your attitude and your actions.” Matthew Berra
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios! Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul wraps up his decision-maker series with some tips on selling to entrepreneurs.
Show Notes:
Entrepreneurs may take more risk because they answer to no one but themselves. This means you can take some risk in your presentation.
It’s critical that you understand their vision. How will your solution help them achieve that vision?
Don’t waste their time. Provide a detailed agenda.
Entrepreneurs are willing to go against the grain. Appeal to their contrarian nature.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul reveals some reasons why price may come up early in the selling process.
Show Notes:
“Never talk price until you’ve demonstrated some value.”
If you share your price for budgetary purposes, aim high, not low.
Remember, if they’re asking about price, they’re interested!
Is the customer setting their budget or playing a pricing game with you?
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios! Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Are you taking care of your existing customers? Paul provides three great tips to help with this important task.
Show Notes:
“What is getting in the way of delivering the kind of experience that your customers expect?”
Make it easier to do business with your company.
Organization leaders, be open to employee suggestions. They work closely with your customers.
Is there something that your customer hates doing that you can do for them?
Add value with every interaction.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul expounds on the many benefits of selling value, not price.
Show Notes
The role you play as a salesperson has meaning. You help people.
The Value-Added Selling philosophy: Do more of that which adds value and less of that which adds little or no value.
When your singular focus is value, it simplifies the message and leaves price out of it.
Value-Added Selling is about building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with your customers.
Your success is a byproduct of the value you create for your customers.
Be a person of value!
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul gets real about those barriers that keep you from maxing out those monthly quotas.
Show Notes
Are you crushing it one month and then hitting a wall? Complacency affects performance.
“The conversation you have in your mind is a predictor of how you’re going to perform.”
“Your belief in your solution has to be stronger than the customer’s doubt.”
Self-pity and self-doubt do nothing for you. Do something to strengthen your mental resilience.
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul talks cold-calling and call planning with seasoned sales professional, Marty Fitz, head of business development – IT division, at GFI Digital.
Show Notes
“Selling is always kind of happening behind the scenes and weekends, too.” – Marty Fitz
In this new selling environment— “Find direct numbers. There are lots of different ways to prospect and one of them is starting from the ground up… But the first thing is, find that direct line.” – Marty Fitz
“Reach out to your existing clients and ask for referrals. One referral is worth twelve cold calls.” – Paul Reilly
“Pre-call planning is the breakfast, lunch, and dinner of sales champions.” – Paul Reilly
“My biggest philosophy—be yourself.” – Marty Fitz
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul lays out a plan to help you build mental resilience and become more successful.
Show Notes
“If you choose to accept the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge, you will notice positive change throughout your life.”
The more you plan, the more disciplined you will be, the more successful you will be.
What if we spent as much time building our mental strength as we do our physical strength?
Gratitude is critical in tough times.
Prune negativity from your life and plant positivity.
“Success doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it.”
Ninety percent of you will not successfully complete this challenge. Prove me wrong!
Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge!
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Next year starts today. Whether you’re the team leader or a salesperson, Paul has tips on how to stay motivated and finish this year strong.
SHOW NOTES
Take an open, honest look at your pipeline of opportunity, especially during times of peak performance.
“Your pipeline is more likely to dry up when you experience success, not failure.”
The pain you're going to feel of an empty pipeline is not going to happen right now; that pain will happen three, six, maybe even nine months down the road.
Selling to your existing customers is the easiest way to grow your business, so now is the time to leverage deals that you’ve already closed.
Do more––even if you’re already crushing it.
Start laying the groundwork today for the deals that you want to close next year.
You have time working on your side; put a couple of whales in that pipeline.
Get your downloadable chapters of Selling Through Tough Times now at toughtimer.com.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling.
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul invites sales leader and best-selling author Carson V. Heady to share his perspective on common challenges facing the sales community and provide powerful solutions to apply in any marketplace.
SHOW NOTES
“One small win doesn't mean all that much, but when you combine all of those small wins, it leads to big change.” -Carson
Engaging key stakeholders as part of the process is instrumental in the success of a relationship or deal.
“You can’t feast until you set the table.” - Carson
Success in sales means sometimes learning to live with uncomfortable or ambiguous situations.
“There is no seller more confident than the seller that walks into a deal that they don't need.” - Paul
Don’t become a prisoner of hope; take control of the controllable elements of a deal.
Connect with Carson at carsonvheady.wordpress.com
Purchase Salesman on Fire and Birth of a Salesman on Amazon or at your local bookseller.
ALSO MENTIONED
The Q and A Sales Podcast: What is a Go-Giver? with Bob Burg
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul explains why he skips traditional networking events and what he does instead.
Show Notes
Who won’t be at the traditional networking events?
In social settings, make people aware not just of what you do, but how you help people.
“The best time to network is when….”
Go where the decision makers go.
Focus more on giving than receiving. You will be rewarded.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul addresses the uniquely tough time of selling when there aren’t the resources to meet peak demand.
Show Notes
“Your attitude is important as you go through and sell during these moments of peak demand. Realize that all your competitors are facing that same challenge.”
“Within every challenge there lies an ….”
Now is the time to get out there and meet new prospects. You may not be able to help them today, but you’re building a relationship for future business opportunities.
During moments of peak demand, don’t even think about discounting!
Keep creating value!
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Pre-order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul gives you some tips and ideas when it comes to setting your solution apart.
Show Notes
When your product is the same as your competitor’s, you can’t just rely on the product. The product is just one element of the total package you are selling.
Remind the customer that the value you and your company provide are inseparable parts of your overall solution.
Ask your best customers why they buy from you, beyond products.
To sell a differentiated solution, you must sell differently.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul answers the very important question of what buyers really want.
Show Notes
Do buyers want your products? No! Do buyers want your services? No! They want …! (outcomes)
Stop thinking in terms of products or services. Sell the buyer on the outcome your solution can help them achieve.
Be wary when a customer tells you exactly what they need. The customer is not always right.
“The customer defines the outcome that they want, but you, as the salesperson, get to define how they achieve it. That’s where you bring value.”
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul continues his series with another high-level decision maker: the corporate executive.
Show Notes
Corporate executives make decisions based on career advancement. They want to make the right decision, but also the popular one.
With these decision makers, “highlight the prestige your solution can help them achieve.”
Present your solution as one that fits within the system they already have in place.
Corporate executives want reliable, respected partners that will be accepted by the team.
The corporate executive will not make higher risk decisions than they have to.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul continues his decision-maker series by focusing in on the financial buyer (CFO/Controller).
Show Notes
These decision makers (DMs) help the other DMs make better decisions. Their science is accounting, and numbers don’t lie.
“Always determine the power-base distribution in the opportunity that you’re working.”
“These financial buyers may not be the ultimate decision maker, but they will….”
Financial buyers want to see improved cash flow and mitigate risk—so no guesswork, chance, or intuition.
Demonstrate a good return on investment (ROI).
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul outlines the next decision maker in the series: technical influencers.
Show Notes
If this challenging decision maker likes your solution, they’re going to help you immensely.
“They are focused on….”
These decision makers are skeptical of salespeople and will challenge your data.
Avoid surprises, hunches, intuition, speculation. Eliminate the “human” factor.
Brand new is not the best selling feature for these technical types. “They want something that is tried and true.”
They want to partner with suppliers that are stable and are committed to excellence—like they are.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul continues his decision maker series: Level II—influencers and end users.
Show Notes
These are down-to-earth, practical people. Think the way they think.
Level IIs want to avoid things that are too complex, disruptions, hypotheticals, overexposure.
“They want something that is….”
“[These decision makers] are influential in the decision because their opinion is their power.”
“Your goal is to have them help sell your solution to other members of the organization.”
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
In this first of five series on the different levels of decision makers, Paul lays out the strategy for selling to procurement buyers.
Show Notes
The procurement buyer’s job is more challenging than ever before.
They are the most price sensitive of all the decision makers. They’re just doing their job.
If price becomes an issue, call on your internal champions.
Be patient and supportive.
“Focus on making them….”
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul extols the benefits of taking time off.
Show Notes
Don’t wait! Get that vacation on the calendar.
To enjoy it to the fullest, take a couple of days before your vacation to get into “vacation mode.”
Completely unplug from work. Get out of the environment that causes you stress.
You’ll come back reinvigorated, but you still need to take a day to organize your newly formed goals and get acclimated once again.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul shares tips on how to elicit feedback from your customers and just how important that is.
Show Notes
“Feedback is what’s going to make you better.”
List the value-added extras you offer your customers. Ask your best customers which of those extras are more important.
Ask your customer, “Why do you do business with us?”
Find out what the customer would change about ….
Do these things and you’re going to be more successful, you’re going to block out the competition, and create some great marketing tools.
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul touts the mental resilience of Jon Rahm (2021 U.S. Open champ) and how to apply that to sales…and life.
Show Notes:
Those frustrating setbacks, out of our control, are painful, but they propel us forward.
Shrink your big goals to manageable targets.
“Don’t look at the ‘leaderboard.’ Look inward at your own potential. Tap into that first.”
Practice, prepare, until it becomes second nature.
Remain hopeful!
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul addresses a challenge that plagues all salespeople: getting a meeting with a disinterested buyer.
Show Notes
Is your pipeline overflowing?
Get a referral. “One referral is worth….”
On your final attempt to get a meeting, clearly state your value proposition.
Don’t be a prisoner of hope!
Learn more: https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul breaks down the age-old battle of the little competitor versus the big competitor.
Show Notes:
You can’t out-Goliath Goliath. Play to your strengths.
Remember, those big competitors are worried about you, too!
Ask yourself, “How can I make it easier to do business with us rather than that big company?”
Let the buyer know that as the little guy, you will try harder to ….
Be ready to fill in the gaps left by the big competitor (i.e., service and support).
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
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Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul offers selling tips for exhibitors at live, in-person trade shows. (They’re coming back!)
Show Notes
Before you go to that trade show, arrange some pre-set appointments.
Study the attendee list and pre-qualify some companies for your target prospect list.
Create perceived demand for your booth.
“You have got to….”
Follow-up is key. Connect with your new prospects immediately via LinkedIn.
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul explores the scenario in which an existing customer asks for a discount on new business based on a previous bad experience.
Show Notes
“Nobody is 100% 100% of the time.”
“View those moments where we mess up as opportunities to build…”
Be able to detail what your company did to solve the problem.
Remind the customer of their pressure points to buy your solution.
How can you build more value in without affecting the price?
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul lays out the foundation for a proposal with impact.
Show Notes:
“Lead with the customer’s needs. Don’t hit them with price or bore them with everything they didn’t want to know about your company.”
“When the buyer is hyper-aware of their needs, they’re more likely to disrupt their status quo.”
Detail the impact of your solution.
Discover the three important “Why” questions.
Dress up your proposal! Build that perceived value.
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul fleshes out the important questions you should be prepared to ask on a sales call.
Show Notes:
“You’re not only gathering information, but you’re also….”
“If you can have a deeper understanding of [the buyer’s] customer base, it’s going to help you help your customer deliver value to their customer.”
Find out Paul’s favorite question.
Don’t forget to ask for the business!
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul addresses concerns about effectively using the phone as a selling tool.
Show Notes:
Put together talking points and practice. Partner with your sales manager and role play.
Can you solve a problem the customer is experiencing? If so, lead with that!
“Make the customer feel that your message was crafted specifically for them.”
Does your message create value for the person on the other end of the conversation?
(If links below are not clickable, visit us at https://www.theqandasalespodcast.com.)
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul tackles the tough situation that arises from selling to your customer’s competition.
Show Notes
Be wary of mentioning other customers as social proof. If asked though, be transparent.
Get feedback from your internal champions and try to determine the root cause of the customer’s concerns.
Invoke some empathy. Chances are this customer sells to their customers’ competitors.
Remind the customer that your relationship is built on trust.
Click here to pre-order a copy of Selling Through Tough Times!
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul spells out why F-R-E-E is the worst four-letter F-word in business.
Show Notes
Whatever follows the word “free” is cheapened.
Free focuses the conversation on price which is what you should avoid.
“Free is too costly a burden.”
There are better words to use such as….
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares ideas on selling your solution even to those customers who are experiencing tough times.
Show Notes
Use empathy as your internal monitor when selling to customers who are struggling.
“Find new ways to support that customer.” Make the customer aware of your value-added services.
“Rigid policy does not serve you well when customers are facing tough times.” Flexibility is key.
Longevity and experience give a struggling customer peace of mind.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul reminds us of the simple yet powerful message of Value-Added Selling.
Show Notes
"Do more of that which adds value, and less of that which…."
Is the value exchange equitable? "Just because we put our customer first does not mean we put ourselves last."
"You must be more focused on solving the customer's problems than making a deal for your company."
Don’t forget your bundled package: your company, the product, and you!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
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Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul presents a couple of ideas on changing a price shopper's mind.
Show Notes
Influence your customer's mind little by little.
Small wins lead to big change. Change doesn't happen all at once.
"If you want to be successful, you have to do what your competition isn't willing to do."
In what other areas has your buyer made a value-focused decision? Draw a parallel.
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares five tips relevant to all industries facing pricing pressures.
Show Notes:
Stretch the buyer's time horizon into the future. Help them determine….
Move the conversation from price. "Remind your clients of the complexity of their needs."
Remember, price is one of the greatest indicators of quality and performance.
Be sure you can answer the question, "What makes your solution different?"
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul tackles the challenge of differentiating your solution…even on the RFP!
Show Notes:
"Get there early"—before the customer submits an RFP.
Request a meeting prior to submitting your proposal.
Don't limit your proposal to the ….
What makes you different from your competitors? Include that in your proposal.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul examines Disney's great customer experience and how it translates to selling.
Show Notes:
Surround the customer with your message of value.
Is it easy to buy from your company?
Details are important.
Discover new ways to enhance your solution for the buyer.
"Are you willing to never be satisfied with where you're at?"
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul illuminates the delicate balance of steering the conversation from price to value.
Show Notes:
Are you focusing on the right opportunities?
"Whoever is asking the questions on the sales call is in control of the conversation."
"Ask questions that transport the buyer…." (into the future)
Surround the buyer with your message of value to influence their expectations.
Explain what makes you different.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul provides impactful insight into the idea of aggressive pricing.
Show Notes:
"The greatest impact [of aggressive pricing] is on the …."
"Every dollar you discount is pure profit you're leaving on the table."
Don't set a discounting precedent.
The more you do it, the easier it is. Don't become addicted to discounting!
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares three great tips for new salespeople.
Show Notes:
"Be prepared to play the…."
Get to know your industry and become a student of your profession.
Problems create opportunities for salespeople.
Understand and communicate all the ways your company, your product, and you bring value to the customer.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul explains how loss aversion will influence the customer's decision to buy.
Show Notes:
Losses loom larger than gains. Therefore, we will focus more on what we give up versus what we gain.
Think of a 401K; you are saving money today for a long-term, future benefit. It's painful to give up that money today.
You place a higher value on what you give up today than what you could potentially gain in the future.
Loss aversion is real, and here is how you overcome it…
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
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And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares four reasons why buyers object to your price and how to respond to objections.
Show Notes:
Do you know the number one reason why buyers object to price?
Can you explain why your solution is different? When buyers think you're the same, it's not a real price objection.
If you don't have the money, it doesn't make your price too high. That's why I couldn't buy the $120 million mansion.
Give people more of what they are fearful of misusing.
Drumroll, please, the number-one reason is.
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul offers seven tips for asking that satisfied customer for a referral.
Let the customer know from the start that you work on a referral basis.
Exceed your customer's expectations.
Reinforce the value you deliver before asking for a referral.
Ask for testimonials from your best customers.
Just Ask! You won't get a referral unless you ask for one.
Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling!
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please use the form on our website to ask your top sales question.
If you liked what you heard, follow our show in your favorite app, share it with a friend or colleague. Most importantly, make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul is thrilled to interview speaker and author of The Go-Giver, Bob Burg.
Always give value to others.
"Be a go-getter (a person of action) and a go-giver (someone who is absolutely laser-focused on providing immense value to others)."
Don't be a go-taker (someone who takes without adding any value).
"Money is an echo of value."
Connect with Bob at Burg.com.
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Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul discusses the customer that wants all the value of your specialized solution but balks at the price.
"Highlight the difference between what the buyer says and what the buyer is doing."
"Take the focus off of price and put the focus back on…."
Draw a parallel between your solution and the customer's high standards.
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered.
Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend.
And most importantly...make it a big day.
Paul tackles the frustrating issue of relating to a generation that communicates primarily through social media.
DO NOT emphasize their youth!
"We have to connect with them the way that they want to connect because…."
Acts of consideration build relationships.
Take time every day to get to know your customers through social media.
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
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And most importantly, you know what to do...make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares a technique that every salesperson needs to know.
"If you can focus on the difference, it's easier to …."
Remember the basic process in handling price objections: clarify, acknowledge, respond.
Be able to explain in detail how you're going to help them make more money.
Whatever that [dollar] difference is, fractionalize it over the lifespan of your solution.
Magnify and maximize the impact of your solution.
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul dives deep into the three levels of decision makers in Value-Added Selling.
Value is personal. Each type of decision maker is going to define value in a different way.
Level I
This decision maker needs a _____________ solution.
"Don't take a no from someone who can't say yes."
Level II
Level IIs influence the ….
Demonstrate how you can make their life easier.
Level III (High-level Decision Makers)
High-level decision makers (HLDMs) need partnerships to achieve their business goals.
"HLDMs are the least likely to…."
Remember, everyone is afraid of something more than paying a higher price.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please use the form on our website to ask your top sales questions.
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On this episode, Paul offers up some ideas to help convince the customer to go with a local provider.
Customers don't know what they don't know.
"Whatever you do, you have to understand what these customers really care about."
Emphasize how partnering locally helps the community.
Figure out what's missing with their remote provider.
Build a relationship now for potential services in the future.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul provides tactics to help you sell your value to an unhappy customer.
You must handle the issue. Make the customer happy.
Make it your mission to create more value for this customer.
There is value in handling the details.
Show your dedication to this customer by calling on them more. But remember, you must ….
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul breaks down the reasons salespeople are fearful of going around their mid-level contacts.
Remember your objective: Winning the business!
Relationships are a two-way street.
Forget the pain of the present. Focus on….
"Every time you step outside of your comfort zone you are growing."
"Most of what you're afraid of will never happen."
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul relays seven tips to help you protect and grow your insurance business, even as premiums increase.
"Remind the customer of the value that you're delivering."
Does your client understand the reason for the premium adjustment?
Maintain a strong personal relationship with the client.
Empathize with the client. Your premium was adjusted as well.
A hardening market provides one of the best prospecting opportunities you're going to have. "Increase your prospecting efforts by ___%."
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul provides common-sense tips for developing your selling process.
"The customer follows their buying process, not your selling process."
How do your top customers buy?
What makes a sales process different from other business processes? People!
Selling is dynamic and ever changing. Your sales process needs to be as well.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul discloses the secret to overcoming price objections.
Deep down, you know what is missing when managing price objections: _____.
The biggest killer of confidence is lack of preparation.
"Nothing frees you from the pressure to discount like working a deal you don't really need."
Do you have an immediate response to price objections?
Price is only an issue in the absence of value.
Buyers don't deserve your discount, they deserve your _____.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul gives some helpful tips on handling the stressors of being in sales.
Show Notes:
Not feeling stressed? Then you're probably not doing your job.
Be thankful for having so much on your plate.
"It's important to give yourself breaks throughout the day."
"Prioritize your tasks by ______ and ______."
"The simple act of moving forward is going to keep you moving forward."
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares three ways to block your competitor from stealing your top customer.
Show Notes:
Your best customer is the competition's best prospect. They’re going to try and steal them from you.
Work with your internal champions and gather some intel.
Try the start from scratch method or try selling against yourself.
This simple question will not only protect your business, but also reveal new opportunities…” What is _________ ?”
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares five tips to get past gatekeepers. As always, you’ll need to create value.
Show Notes:
How on earth could a candy dish create so much value?
Build that rapport and get to know the person in front of the gate.
The gatekeeper has to be convinced of your expertise before they recommend a meeting.
What is the easiest way to get past the gatekeeper? R - - - - - - - -.
How can one shoe open the door to a meeting? Check out the show and you’ll see.
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares three tips to differentiate your solution even if the competition claims they can do the same things.
Show Notes:
“Don’t just sell products; sell the bundled package.”
The goal is to create barriers that prevent a direct comparison.
Acknowledge the general similarities between you and the competition. This builds credibility.
Detail the unique aspects of your solution.
Most importantly, if the competitor makes the same claims, ___________ the impact.
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares tips to get you back in front of the customer.
A trigger event causes the buyer to be more open to your solution.
Reference something new you can bring to the table.
Talk to your internal champions and conduct a ....
"The more informed you are, the more insight you can deliver to your customers."
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul addresses the frustrations of working for a price seller.
There are different ways to go to market.
Ask your boss "Why do we sell on price?"
Remind your manager that once you discount, you are losing out on ….
Conduct a value audit and help your manager realize just how much value you deliver.
Understand the power of 1%!
Purchase Value-Added Selling for your manager.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul covers how to maneuver through a tough discussion with the buyer before you've closed the deal.
Before you do anything else, you have to ….
Acknowledge the buyer's concerns. "Use the words I understand."
Focus on the facts.
Invoke empathy. You're not doing anything they haven't had to do.
Assure the buyer that you're being fair.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Show Description
On this episode, Paul provides three tips for when a customer wants less than your best solution.
Why is the customer considering a different option?
Remind the customer of the value of your premium solution.
A different product means different competitors. "Conduct an apples-to-apples comparison with your new competitors."
Don't forget your company and yourself.
"If you offer a better solution, you don't need to be the cheapest."
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Show Description
On this episode, Paul lays out his argument for a straight commission compensation plan.
“The more variable your pay, ….”
“Your compensation plan is your best accountability tool.”
When you are paid straight commission, you have ….”
Put yourself in a position where you have to be successful.
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul explores the indicators of buyer bluffing.
Show Notes:
Salespeople cave-in to price objections 75% of the time.
“If [the customer] has demonstrated a willingness to buy, then they give you a price objection, they are bluffing.
“Anything that mitigates the importance of price is a pressure point.”
Do you know when your customer is bluffing?
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul addresses the hot-button topic of price increases.
Show Description:
Words matter! Don’t use “increase,” use ______.
Detail the reason for the adjustment. Fairness is critical.
“The price adjustment creates an opportunity to ….”
Prior to the adjustment, remind the customer of the ______.
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul tackles this common price objection with five tips.
Show Notes
Did the buyer know the cost of your solution before setting their budget?
“Give the buyer the opportunity to ….”
Budgets are flexible.
Remind the buyer of the extra revenue your solution will help them generate.
“Get to that !”
Is your price too high, or is their budget too low?
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul provides great tips to help you choose your next prospect.
Show Notes
“Build a ______ for your prospect.”
Increase your prospecting activity.
Use this formula for a balanced pipeline:
How will you initiate contact?
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul discusses the importance of timing in prospecting.
Show Notes
“The best time to prospect is….”
The two best days of the week to prospect are ______ and ______.
Send an anti-freeze message to take the chill off your cold call.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.” (Chinese proverb)
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul shares ways to help you define value as the customer sees it.
Show Notes
“Get a broad understanding of their needs.” (Talk to everyone!)
“Understand the company’s overall ....”
“You need to make sure that your value proposition aligns with ….”
Do your buyers understand the tangible results gained when they experience your solution?
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul reveals three techniques to persuade the buyer to make a change.
Show Notes
“Persuasion is not easy, but it is possible.”
“Get the buyer past what they sacrifice today and get them to focus on ....”
Ask questions that transport the buyer into the future.
Tell a story. Share an example of the impact of your solution.
"__________ is a powerful tool.”
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul provides eleven questions to help gauge sales performance: your own or your sales team’s.
Show Notes
Know the _________________________.
Growth opportunities: Are you chasing the right business?
Defensive selling: Do your folks have good customer relationships?
Existing customers: Are your salespeople getting the credit they deserve for the they deliver?
Use these questions to generate a good discussion.
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul continues his focus on sales leaders and coaches.
Show Notes
“You need to hire for the _________, not the _________ .”
Look at your _______________ to create a profile of what you’re looking for.
Don’t wait until you have to fill a position.
Tap your top achievers for referrals of potential team members.
Do you spend enough time recruiting?
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul lays out some tactical rules for motivating your sales team.
Show Notes
“You can’t really motivate someone.” Whaaat!
“Create an environment where ….”
People do things for their reasons, not yours.
“We rise and fall to the expectations that we are given.”
Does your team feel challenged or defeated?
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios!
Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Strategist and Producer, Andrea Klunder, to find out how to launch, produce, and grow your company's podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares some tactical tips on establishing objectives for your sales team.
Show Notes
Don’t forget your daily and weekly targets.
“___________ is not the most important motivator.”
What’s getting in the way? Identify the barriers to their achievement.
“When you involve them [your sales team] in the process…they’re going to feel a stronger sense of ownership towards that goal.”
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Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how to launch, sustain, and grow your own podcast.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this 100th episode, Paul takes on an important topic leading into 2021: Motivation.
Show Notes
Have you ever been told you couldn’t achieve something?
“What’s going to motivate you into next year?”
“The sting of reminding yourself that it might not happen is only going to ….”
There is someone willing to take more risk to achieve their goals. Your competitor? Your colleague? It’s ….
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios for 100 episodes!
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Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul discusses goal setting and how it looks different for 2021.
Show Notes
Realize that 2020 is only a small window of time in your career.
“Don’t let 2020—the doom and gloom of it—influence how you set your goals.”
“If that goal you’re setting doesn’t make your bones itch, then you’re not ….”
Don’t give up on your 2020 goals.
“Rather than getting rid of your goal, why don’t you just extend the timeline?” (Tom Reilly, founder, Tom Reilly Training)
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Thinking of launching a podcast in 2021? Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Tune in to this episode. Paul dives deep into the driving forces behind customer decision making in tough times.
Show Notes
In tough times, the most dominant driver of customer decision making is ...
“Cost cutting is an opportunity in disguise.”
Remind the customer of the value of your solution.
During tough times, “our instincts for self-preservation kick in.”
Help the customer realize that, even in tough times, now is the time to act.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Thinking of launching a podcast in 2021? Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul provides four tips when handling customer complaints.
Show Notes
Customer complaints are opportunities!
“Most customers don’t actually complain.” (But your best customers do.)
You become the CEO of the customer’s problem.
Ask the question “why” ____ times to get to the root cause.
“When a customer complains and then they’re satisfied, they actually become ….”
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Thinking of launching a podcast in 2021? Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul gives you multiple ways to convince the buyer to change to your solution.
Show Notes
“Translate your value added into meaningful impact for the customer.”
Draw parallels.
Show the buyer the negative impact of the “status quo.”
“People are more open to change when ….”
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Wondering whether a podcast is right for your business? Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares three tips on how to more effectively reach out to high-level decisions makers (HLDMs).
Show Notes
Are you willing to make the commitment to contact the HLDM?
HLDMs put their pants on one leg at a time—just like you.
“Have the confidence to reach out to these HLDMs.”
“The most effective way to reach out to a high-level decision maker is to ….”
Do you know the #1 reason why HLDMs are willing to meet with you?
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Thanks to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out whether a podcast is right for your company.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul talks about how and why to demonstrate your appreciation to your customers.
Show Notes
Thank you for supporting TheQandASalesPodcast.com!
“Gratitude is important in business.”
Your customers are important to you…and your family.
“Here’s the kicker….”
Have you thanked your customers lately?
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. If you want to launch a show in Q1 of 2021, the time to begin is NOW.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul lays out three ways you can create more value, even in tough times.
Show Notes
“Whether it’s good times or whether it’s tough times, your customers always want value.”
Customers crave stability.
“When you are demonstrating stability, you want to show your customer that ….”
“Be flexible. You’ve got to do business the way they want to do business.”
What can you (and your company) do to be more customer focused?
“Look at your customers through a fresh set of eyes.”
Solve the customer’s problems in a creative way.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. If you want to launch a show in Q1 of 2021, the time to begin is NOW.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares his thoughts on dealing with a customer or prospect that has shut down communication.
Show Notes
“…whatever you are selling, it might be a priority to you, but chances are, it’s not a priority to your customer or prospect.”
Your customer or prospect has other things on their plate.
“Does this message align with how the customer defines value?”
Something’s changed. Find out what that is.
“Every touch point that we have with our prospective customer is an opportunity to differentiate ourselves and promote our ....”
Follow up when it’s convenient—for the customer.
“We’ve all been strung out on a long maybe.”
Don’t be a prisoner of hope.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. If you want to launch a show in Q1 of 2021, the time to begin is NOW.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul highlights the ways to develop internal champions.
Show Notes
Internal champions will greatly influence the buyer process.
“When you’re trying to create internal champions, you first need to know who they are.”
How do internal champions define value?
“You have to put yourself in their position.”
Internal champions deserve our respect.
“You’ve got to be open; you’ve got to be honest. You’ve got to be transparent.”
“Make that internal champion look like a ….”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. If you want to launch a show in Q1 of 2021, the time to begin is NOW.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul discusses the three waves of creating a value-added movement.
Show Notes
Whether you’re a small company or large, change will happen in waves.
There must be absolute buy-in at the highest level to become a value-added organization.
Look to your top supporters—your indirect leaders.
“When you’re reaching out to these top supporters, it is critical that they understand why you are making this change.”
Some folks aren’t going to buy into the movement.
“If the top supporters are buying into it, then people are going to follow suit. This is the typical effect.”
“When you see a value-added success, it’s important to share that with the team.”
People will remember the success stories.
“Make sure that you’re reinforcing the effort, not just the results.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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On this episode, Paul discusses how we can partner with our customers, even in these tough times.
Show Notes
“Tough times are an opportune time to build partnerships with your customers.”
Is your solution still helping them achieve their goals?
“Look for opportunities to….”
Call on your team for support.
“Every new relationship that you can help build, it helps build a stronger foundation with your customer.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul provides tips to turn a bad experience into customer loyalty.
Show Notes
If you’ve been in sales long enough, you’re bound to tick off a customer.
“These service failures are actually….”
How can a customer become more loyal when we screw up?
“Nothing frustrates customers more than working with a salesperson that….”
Go on a deep-dive to figure out what happened.
“They [customers] have to feel comfortable in knowing that you’re going to take care of any future issues.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
On this episode, Paul tackles why salespeople should not have discounting authority.
Show Notes
Don’t talk yourself into a price objection!
“When the buyer’s asking you to make some concessions, you’re the one that has the choice.”
Salespeople who discount lack confidence in their….
“The #1 reason why salespeople will discount is because they can.”
The sales manager should have ultimate pricing authority.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares ideas on how to prime the buyer for your solution.
Show Notes
“Persuasion doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it.”
Don’t wait for the presentation to start persuading the buyer.
“Persuasion begins with that discovery sales call.”
“Before we go in and make our presentation, we want to conduct a ….”
You must clearly understand how your customer defines value.
“Provide the customer with evidence that supports how you align.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul gives you ten tips to help you sell virtually.
Show Notes
“Selling is selling. The principles of persuasion are just the same whether it’s in person, over the phone, or virtually.”
“Get to know your tools and equipment.”
Don’t dress like a slob.
“You want to stand out in a way that creates value for the customer.”
“Practice. Practice. Practice.”
Building familiarity is key.
“The more they see your name and see your picture before the first meeting….”
Make it a big day!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares the three primary reasons buyers object on price and provides the “holy grail” of responses to those objections.
Show Notes
It’s critical to have a go-to response for price objections.
“The very first words out of your mouth when the buyer objects on price have to be….”
“You want to demonstrate fairness in your response.”
“Anytime you have a scarce resource like money, buyers will be fearful of misusing it.”
“When they don’t see a dime’s worth of difference, they’re not going to pay a dollar more for your solution.”
Make it a big day!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares four ideas to help you persuade buyers in tough times.
Show Notes:
It’s not that the technique is drastically different; it’s that the context you ask buyers to make decisions is different. Buyers define value differently in tough times.
You are not persuading the buyer to purchase your product; you are persuading them to take action.
“A lot can happen between the time the buyer wants to buy and when they actually buy.”
“Don’t focus on pushing your solution; position your solution.” Your goal is to be the front runner.
“Mitigate risk by demonstrating how your solution is safe and seamless.”
“Persuasion is easier in tough times than it is in good times.” Bob Dylan will explain why, “If you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose.”
Make it a big day!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares four ideas when going above or around your existing contacts.
Show Notes:
What is the greater risk, losing a sale, or losing a relationship? “Remember, your job is to sell, not just build relationships.”
“Try asking the buyer for forgiveness, and then asking for their permission.”
“If you have a strong relationship, then ask the buyer why they’re hesitant to introduce you to the ultimate decision-maker.”
Coordinate a high-level schmooze. Have your high-level contact meet with their high-level contact. Those two high-level decision-makers speak the same language.
If all else fails, offer a new decision for your prospect to make. Recommend a bigger solution that has a greater impact across multiple departments.
Make it a big day!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares five ideas to overcome price objections when the buyer apparently doesn’t care about value.
Show Notes:
It’s hard to care about value that you can’t quantify. Price is concrete and tangible; your value should be tangible as well.
When the buyer focuses on price, minimize the difference. “You don’t need to sell your full value, just sell the difference…”
“You don’t have to sell value to the buyer, have your internal champions sell it instead.”
If the buyer wants a lower price, then lower the value. Once a buyer is made aware of the value, they won’t want to give it up.
You don’t have to go over the whale-sized opportunity. There might be a better way.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Check out Paul's interview on Podcast Envy here.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares three ideas to overcome price objections from procurement.
Show Notes:
Identify the root cause of the objection by asking the customer to clarify. There is nothing wrong with asking the buyer why.
Procurement managers are trained to ask for a discount until the seller says no.
“To me, this sounds like an attitudinal based objection” This buyer feels like they are entitled to a discount.
Demonstrate the fairness of your solution. “Buyers want a fair deal, not a discount.”
Incorporate other decision-makers and influencers. “There is one thing the buyer fears more than paying a higher price…”
Don’t give the 40% discount. They’re going to buy it!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul explains the different elements of a discovery sales call.
Show Notes:
It’s a discovery call for a reason. You’re exploring the customer’s needs, wants, and concerns trying to discover something new.
“There are three things that get in the way of a good discovery call…”
“Pitching your solution before discovering the buyer’s needs. That’s the equivalent of a doctor prescribing before diagnosing the disease.”
Too many leading questions will serve the seller, not the buyer. Remember to be customer-focused.
Some sellers believe that they already know the buyer’s needs. They are walking in with that assumption, limiting their ability to discover anything new.
Send the buyer a couple of talking points before the meeting, and be sure to ask a few through-provoking questions.
The best discovery is self-discovery. Help the buyer discover something new.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul explains how to balance your sales pipeline using the 1-2-4 ratio.
Show Notes:
Salespeople struggle to maintain a steady inflow of opportunities. Their pipe has run dry due to a lack of activity.
Other salespeople have a clogged pipeline filled with dead deals. Too often, salespeople leave opportunities in their pipeline because they don’t want to admit they are dead.
The key to managing your pipeline is balance.
“For every red-hot opportunity, you need two qualified opportunities. For every two qualified opportunities, you need four potential opportunities.”
A red-hot opportunity is very likely to close in the next 30 days. With 90 percent certainty, you can say it’s a done deal.
Qualified opportunities are viable sales prospects. There's a 50 percent chance you’ll win the business.
Potential opportunities might be viable sales opportunities. “You don’t know if they’re viable until you meet and discuss their needs.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you. The next Launch Your Podcast online class is October 1, 2020.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul explains how positive environmental programming leads to goal achievement
Show Notes:
“Success does not have to be as has hard as we make it.”
Positive environmental programming (PEP) is proactively controlling your environment to achieve your goals successfully.
As Mary Poppins said, “Well begun is half done.”
Conduct a barrier analysis and identify what is getting in the way of achieving the goal. Then you focus on removing the barrier. Don’t make success any harder than it has to be.
Reducing friction is another way to proactively set yourself up for success. “Don’t set your alarm and place it on your nightstand, place it on your dresser.” Keep it out of arm’s reach.
Positively stage your environment. Surround yourself with positive messages. Pull a Dwight Schrute and blast some rock music before a call. “I sing my heart out to Eye of the Tiger.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you. The next Launch Your Podcast online class is October 1, 2020.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul explains why humility is important when selling in tough times.
Show Notes:
“Humility is one of the most misunderstood virtues in business.”
Humility is about taking the focus off of yourself. Humility is required to view the world from the eye of the customer.
It’s easier to see the absence of humility than humility itself. Humility begets growth. We can’t get better until we admit that we can get better.
Tough times will humble everyone. Even the most arrogant sellers are humbled by the uncertainty we face.
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. The more humble you are, the softer you fall.”
“Embrace humility by asking for help” This one salesperson learned from his colleagues by making joint calls. The colleague played the role of the competition.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you. The next Launch Your Podcast online class is October 1, 2020.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares four common questions buyers think about when making a decision.
Show Notes:
Don't you wish you could read your buyer's mind? Selling is not only understanding your buyer's needs; selling is understanding how the buyer thinks.
What's the short-term gain? Buyers are going to opt for a short-term gain over a long-term gain, even if the long-term gain is greater.
What am I giving up to experience that gain? People are going to focus more on what they stand to lose versus what they stand to gain. The gain should be twice whatever the buyer sacrifices.
What do I think about my current solution? People place a higher value on the things they already own versus the things they don't.
Buyers want the solution to be fair. The buyer's gain has to be fair compared to what they sacrifice.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares three embarrassing failures and what he learned from them.
Show Notes:
Failure is a great teacher. The pain you feel motivates you to get better.
Always prepare. Let the sting you feel from failure motivate you to plan and prepare better. Product demonstrations should be flawless.
Never let arrogance or complacency obscure your view of growth opportunities.
"If they need it and we sell it, they're buying it from me. My manager then took me to school."
If it's your customer relationship, then you are accountable.
"Set the ground rules before a visitor meets with your customer. Make it clear that you are in charge."
Think about your embarrassing failures. What did you learn?
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares four ideas to sell the value of your company.
Show Notes:
“I’m selling the same product as everyone else.”
If you’re just selling a product, you open the door to too much competition—you’re selling a bundled package.
Your value-added is already baked into that solution. You cannot remove the value, just like you can’t remove the ingredients once they’re baked.
Conduct a value audit and identify all the ways your company brings value. Talk to everyone and determine how they bring value to the customer experience.
Finally, challenge the buyer to think differently. Shift their focus from the product to the company.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares seven tips to help you become a better listener.
Show Notes:
Have you ever met a salesperson who listened their way out of a sale?
Listening is critical, and it begins with taking the focus off your self. It’s not all about you.
If you want to become a better listener, then give yourself opportunities to listen by asking better questions.
Put down the phone, shut down your laptop, and remove those distractions.
Maintain appropriate levels of comfortable eye contact. Don’t give customers a death stare.
“Verbalize their needs so they can validate the information.”
Seek to understand not to respond.
“This tip is absolutely critical…”
Suspend your assumptions and enter the conversation with a clean slate.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares five common mistakes that salespeople make.
Show Notes:
Failing to plan and prepare is the most common mistake. Failing to plan is the height of arrogance or just pure laziness. Ninety-five percent of top-achievers plan every call.
Never accept a no from someone who cannot say yes. You must get in front of the right decision-maker.
Following-up with a customer demonstrates your professionalism.
Where is your focus on the sales call? Are you focusing on the customer or yourself? Empathy gives you the ability to view the world through the eye of the customer.
Most salespeople don’t understand their company’s value proposition. That’s why many sellers can’t compellingly communicate their value.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares three reasons why buyers focus on price.
Show Notes:
Are buyers really the ones focusing on price? Our research shows that sellers make a bigger deal out of price than customers.
Salespeople shouldn't have pricing authority because they will agonize over what price to charge.
"Customers focus on price because sellers train them to focus on price. Buyers know if they ask for a discount, there is a 75% chance they're going to get it."
Buyers are fearful of misusing their finite resources. They all have limited budgets or limited funds. Show the buyer how your solution leads to more of the resource they're fearful of misusing.
Buyers object on price when there is a perceived lack of equity. It must be fair!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul explains the unique selling proposition.
Show Notes:
Why should the buyer pay a dollar more for your solution, if they don't see a dime's worth of difference?
Think of your industry and how many competitors sound and look the same. If your message blends in, how can you stand out?
"Ross Revaes said that a unique selling proposition has to have these three things…"
What is so uniquely yours that other companies compete with you, but you don't have to compete with them? The answer to this question will unlock your unique selling proposition.
"What is your company's fresh hot beignet?"
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares five reasons why you should never disclose discount percentages.
Show Notes:
The short answer to the question is… “without a shred of doubt, 100%, absolutely not.” There is no conceivable reason to reveal a discounting percentage on a proposal.
There are five reasons why you should not reveal this information to the buyer.
Showing a discount establishes an expectation of future discounts and concessions.
Showing a discount percentage indicates pricing flexibility. Let the negotiating games begin.
Showing a discount percentage will give the buyer a comparison tool. Buyers will take that information and use it against you.
Discounting cheapens your image. It’s as simple as that.
Any discount off a list price is fugazi!
“Instead, use these three words…”
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Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares his thoughts on cold-calling in this current environment.
Show Notes:
Cold-calling still works; our research shows that 29 percent of top-achievers use cold-calling to engage prospects and customers.
To be clear, cold-calling is reaching out to a prospect unannounced via phone or face-to-face visit. But before you cold-call a prospect, use these techniques to warm-up the call
“Referrals are the easiest ways to get your foot in the door, yet too many salespeople forget to ask for them.”
Send the prospect a letter. This letter is an introductory tool that builds familiarity. Plus, there is no delete button on a letter.
Once they’ve received the letter, send them a LinkedIn request. A LinkedIn request builds familiarity.
Finally, once you reach out, decide how many unsuccessful callbacks you will make before calling it quits. Don’t become a prisoner of hope.
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Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares two tips for finding opportunities in these tough times.
Show Notes:
“There are no opportunities out there right now. Nothing is happening. Everything is canceled. No more projects until next year.” If this sounds familiar, you need a hard reset.
For every seller that tells you nothing is happening, I could find three other sellers that are making things happen. Every day, do a hard mental reset.
Don’t accept your temporary setbacks as permanent failures. This will blind you to opportunities that exist in front of you.
Don’t believe everything you hear. Some companies are thriving and finding new opportunities.
Hit the reset button every day, don’t believe everything you hear, and look for those new opportunities.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares why SaaS/software sellers use discounts to negotiate.
Show Notes:
“Profit margins in this industry are at crack levels. When your margins are this high, it’s easier to give up a little profit. But that’s not the main reason why they’re using discounts.”
There are three primary reasons sellers use discounts.
Lack of urgency in adopting your solution. Your buyer is already using something that is probably okay. There’s no sense of urgency to move the process forward.
The seller also hasn’t created enough pain in the buyer’s world. Dig for root canal type pain.
“People only change when the pain of not changing is greater than the pain of changing.”
Other times cheap competitors establish anchor prices in the market.
Pressure points mitigate the importance of price. Identity their pressure and take the focus off of the price.
Free is the worst four-letter F-word you can say in sales.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Thanks to our editing team at The Creative Impostor Studios.Click here to book a complimentary consultation with Andrea to find out how they can partner with you in creating your own podcast. Tell them Paul sent you.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares the common barriers salespeople experience when attempting to sell value.
Show Notes:
Salespeople will say, “That customer only buys on price, they’re a price shopper. They won’t buy value.” Well, then why are you wasting your time trying to sell value?
Only 1-in-6 buyers are true price shoppers. Buyers are only objecting because they don’t see your value.
“I don’t want to offend my lower-level contacts by going over their head.” This is one of the weaker excuses salespeople use. Salespeople that use this excuse would rather build relationships with a non-decision-maker than sell value.
“The buyer sent me a Request For Information (RFI). I must honor their request.” RFI might stand for Request For Information, but it really means Request For Imitation!
“I have to discount. The buyer expects it!” If the buyer expects a discount, it’s because you created that expectation. You can always create a new expectation.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul interviews the customer service expert Shep Hyken. Shep shares his thoughts on creating a better and more convenient experience.
Show Notes:
Whether it’s performing magic or creating a magical experience, customer service requires gratitude and feedback. “It all started with a thank you note.”
“Reach out to your customers in tough times, with nothing specific to sell, just to let them know you are thinking of them.”
Our current reality forces us to pivot from what we could do yesterday to what we can do today.
The key to creating a better experience is convenience. Great companies are easy to do business with. Think of all the roadblocks you can remove.
There are six key principles to create a convenient experience. “The most important principle is reducing friction.”
“Do what you can to make it about them, not you.” The message should be personal to that individual customer.
There is adaption then adoption. People are accepting. “We’ve gone 3-5 years into the future in 3-5 months.”
Gratitude is critical. Every day find something you’re thankful for, personally and professionally. There are so many good things happening, and you have to be cognizant of it. Or negativity will beat you down.
Click here to see Shep’s TV show, Be Amazing or Go Home!
Click here to purchase The Convenience Revolution!
Click here to visit with Shep’s website for more great content!
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares three tips to spice things up and create more value for your best customers.
Show Notes:
If your customer relationship feels like a marriage heading the wrong way, you have to listen to this episode.
Salespeople get complacent. Complacent sellers rarely see ways to improve their end-to-end experience.
Embrace a positive sense of insecurity and productive discomfort with the status quo. Develop fresh ideas to serve your best customers even better. Because your best customers are the competition’s best prospects.
Try selling against yourself. How would your competition poke holes in your solution? Answering this question reveals opportunities to improve.
Ask the customer, up and down the organization, how you can improve and get better. Customers have a funny way of knowing what they really want. Give them a chance to tell you.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares three tips to help salespeople focus their time on the right opportunities.
Show Notes:
For salespeople, time is the currency they invest. How salespeople spend their time will determine whether they are successful or not.
Sales leaders are frustrated that sellers are going after the wrong slice of the market, yet these same sales leaders fail to define what the right slice of the market. Create a profile for your salespeople.
Time block the critical selling hours and remove any barriers.
Remove time wasters. Let your salespeople do what they are made to do, drive sales. Remove time wasters that create less value than driving sales.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares three reasons why salespeople offer discounts unprompted.
Show Notes:
Salespeople will offer unprompted discounts for three reasons: fear of losing the business, negative price perception, and sellers Stockholm Syndrome.
As you’ll learn in this episode, Paul loves golf. And you’ll hear the golf story that prompted this episode.
“I told the guy that I wanted to buy this club, and he still gave me a discount!”
“The seller could’ve researched who referred me to understand my pricing expectation.”
A discount is pure profit exiting your company.
Be aware of the pressure the buyer is experiencing and focus more on the value, not the price.
“Remember, you don’t need this sale.” Accepting this reality will give you confidence.
“It’s not our perception of price that matters; it’s the customer's perception.” Just because you think the price might be high does not mean the customer feels the same way.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares four ideas to turn service into sales.
Show Notes:
Right now, it is a challenging time for salespeople to meet with prospects and customers. So if you want to get more meetings, don’t just be a salesperson.
Leverage your service team. Your service team includes engineers, designers, programmers, service technicians, operations team, or any other customer-facing individual. Anyone that meets with a customer is a salesperson.
Here are four tips for turning your service team into salespeople.
#1 – Help your service team remove their blinders.
#2 – Create a list of probing questions for your service team.
#3 – Instruct the service team to identify new problems to solve.
#4 – Teach the service team to cross-serve.
Paul referenced the Daily Mental Flex downloadable worksheet from episode 31.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul shares five reasons why salespeople should NOT have pricing authority.
Show Notes:
Under no circumstances should salespeople have pricing authority! Pricing is strategic because it impacts profitability.
Salespeople are emotional and irrational (So is everyone). Salespeople will feel the pressure and cave in and discount. Savvy buyers know how to make the seller feel the pressure.
Salespeople will also succumb to Stockholm Syndrome. They are more likely to side with the buyer's need for a discount than their company's need for profit.
Just like work expands to the time allotted, so will the discount expand to the parameters set.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares why first impressions are critical and how to create one.
Show Notes:
"A first impression is a lasting impression." This idea is based on confirmation bias. Confirmation bias means that we interpret new information in a way that confirms what we already believe.
In the middle of the word impression, there are three letters P-R-E. Pre- meaning before. Planning and preparation before the call influence the buyer's impression.
Make sure you're dressing to the top of your market. To be a professional, you must look like a professional.
"Make sure your opening has these four items…"
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea Klunder’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Paul shares his thoughts on meeting with high-level decision makers.
Show Notes:
Our research shows that getting in front of the ultimate decision maker is the greatest challenge facing today’s sales professionals. That’s why only 10% of the sales population makes it to this level.
There are several reasons we need buy-in from a high-level decision maker. Price is less important at this level. Also, these high-level decision makers are comfortable making abstract decisions.
“Oddly enough, some salespeople believe that high-level decision makers don’t like salespeople.” Nothing could be further from the truth. They love salespeople, and many of these decision makers started in sales.
“Here are three ways you can schedule that high-level meeting…”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, August 13th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares his thoughts on motivating your sales team.
Show Notes:
Top-achieving salespeople are more motivated than they are talented. The key is to create an environment where your sales team can motivate themself.
Salespeople have a target to hit. Their job is to hit that target, whether it’s good times or bad times.
“People rise or fall to the expectations they are given. If you lower a salesperson’s target, they’re eventually going to live down to that expectation.”
Establish new activity targets to complement the achievement target. Activity-based targets will give salespeople something to accomplish.
While you're coaching your team, focus on their behaviors and process, not their performance. The goal is to reinforce the behavior and the process that will lead to the results.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul explains why taking a vacation is so critical.
Show Notes:
“It’s okay to unplug and distance yourself from this challenging sales environment.”
Salespeople are the equivalent of elite athletes. Even the most elite athletes take a break. Pull a Rodman and blow off some steam.
A little break from the day-to-day can help you boost creativity. Vacation will boost your overall well-being.
The more distance you create between you and your work environment, the more productive you will be when you return.
Attention all sales managers: Don’t bug your salespeople during vacation.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul shares ten tips to get out of a sales slump.
Show Notes:
Dr. Seuss can help you get out of your slump, but un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
“No matter how successful you are, you’ve experienced a slump.”
Tip number one, make more calls. Generating activity is critical. With all that activity, you’re either going to get better or lucky.
Look for outside inspiration like podcasts, YouTube videos, motivational books, etc.
Review your previous successes to boost your skills and confidence.
Take a vacation. A little distance from your struggle can make a world of difference.
Get your manager out in the field with you and focus on the basics.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
The first 15 people to sign up by July 2nd will get in free. This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares his thoughts on presenting price.
Show Notes:
“Pricing builds perceived value. In the absence of additional information, price is the greatest indicator of quality and performance.”
Discounting and negotiating are part of every culture.
Pricing is an integrity issue. “If you present a price and then lower it, you’re effectively telling the customer ‘I was trying to overcharge you before’”
“Use the three words to present price…”
Don’t apologize for your price or stare off into space. Present your price matter-of-factly.
Buyers aren’t compensated to gain discounts; they’re evaluated on overall company profitability. Focus the conversation towards profit, not price.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
The first 15 people to sign up by July 2nd will get in free. This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
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Paul explains why packaging is so important.
Show Notes:
Packaging matters because it builds perceived value. Perceived value influences your expectations.
"Packaging can be a differentiator." How can your package standout if it blends with everyone else? Be different in the way you package your product and demonstrate your product.
"You, the salesperson, you're the package of the overall solution you are presenting. You must act in a manner that reinforces the image you're trying to project."
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
The first 15 people to sign up by July 2nd will get in free. This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares three tips to help you sell an unfamiliar product or service
Show Notes:
Selling something new and unknown is challenging. “Most people like to stick with what is familiar and proven.”
Focus on selling to the innovators and the early adopters. These two categories represent about 16% of the population.
“Your unknown product had better solve a known problem.” The mommy hook is a great example.
“Anytime a product solves a problem, there is a profit to be had.”
Social proof is key. “Social proof demonstrates how others have implemented your ideas successfully.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Register for Andrea’s Launch Your Podcast class from The Creative Impostor Studios at www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch.
The first 15 people to sign up by July 2nd will get in free. This virtual training is Thursday, July 9th, 7:00 pm CST.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
In this episode, Paul shares three ideas to help you get more face-to-face appointments during a pandemic.
Show Notes:
“Attitude matters when you’re making a request.” Don’t talk yourself out of the meeting before you have even asked for it.
“Why should the customer meet with you face-to-face?” If you can’t compellingly answer this question, the customer isn’t going to meet with you.
“Remember, your customers also have salespeople that are eager to get out and sell. Invoke a little empathy and call attention to that fact in your messaging.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Andrea is offering a Launch Your Podcast online class June 9, 2020. The first 15 reserved spots are complimentary. Get the details and save your seat at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qandalaunch
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares three reasons to plan and his five-part sale plan for existing customers.
Show Notes:
Eisenhower said, “In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Churchill also said, “Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.” So, if plans are useless and indispensable, then why create them?
“Planning gives you a sense of control in an uncertain time.”
“Planning leads to progress.” Inch-by-inch, we’re moving forward. In tough times, progress matters.
“Planning demonstrates commitment to the customer or prospect.” It’s to easy to walk away from an opportunity when you don’t have a plan. People place a higher value on the things they create.
“Planning doesn’t produce results. Have you ever met a salesperson that would rather prepare than produce?”
Develop a simple plan and act. A well-designed plan, without action, delivers zero results.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Book a complimentary podcast consultation with Andrea at The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Paul shares three ideas to help you craft the perfect message in tough times.
Show Notes:
In a crisis, words matter. Remember Tony Hayward's comments in the 2010 BP oil spill? BP's CEO, Tony Hayward, was apologizing for the disruption and devastation of the event and he said, "…there's no one who wants this thing over more than I do. I'd like my life back."
In tough times, messaging matters, not only the words but also the tone.
Empathy is your filter. Plato wrote, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
Utility is what your product or service does, but impact is how it affects the buyer. During tough times utility doesn't change, but impact does.
Consistency is critical in messaging. Everything you do and say—right or wrong—sends a message to the customer. "Your words must align with your actions."
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Book a complimentary podcast consultation with Andrea at The Creative Impostor Studios at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
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Paul shares three ideas to help you find new opportunities during tough times.
Show Notes:
What can Corn Flakes, French Dips, and Caesar Salads teach us about selling? Accidental innovation happens all the time. However, success only happens if you view that innovation through an opportunistic eye.
When we’re stuck in our old ways, we are blind to new opportunities. Where some see problems, others see promise. New opportunities present themselves if you are looking.
“Train your brain to view things opportunistically. Get curious. Ask questions. Curiosity leads to opportunities.”
“If no one in your organization is willing to act on your ideas to improve, then you should act on it. Start your own company.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares seven habits that will lead to your sales success.
Show Notes:
“Your results at the end of the day, the month, or the quarter directly relates to your habits.”
95% of top-achieving salespeople are doing this one thing, are you?
“If you embrace this one habit, you’ll have more business than you know what to do with…”
Debrief the call while it’s fresh in your mind. That was nothing will slip through the cracks.
Practice and visualize, just like Michael Jordan. Could you execute your sales call with your eyes closed?
Your results are a collection of your habits.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares one powerful idea to sell more effectively to the narrow-minded buyer.
Show Notes:
Buyers will simplify their decisions to focus the conversation on price. Buyers will take a narrow view of their needs and choose the bare minimum.
When buyers view their needs as generic and simple, they will satisfice. “Satisficing means choosing an option that is merely good enough.”
“The bare minimum solution might have bare minimum pricing, but it also has bare minimum value.”
“Buyers with a narrow view of their needs focus on the utility of your product, not the impact it has on their company.”
Walk the customer through their buying process, help them take an expanded view of their needs.
Value-Added Selling is available on Amazon!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares one idea to sell more effectively to groups and multiple decision-makers.
Show Notes:
More and more people are getting involved in the decision-making process.
Our research shows that approximately six people are involved. If you’re not meeting with at least six decision-makers, you’re missing an opportunity.
“In a group setting, people like to conform. Individuals place group conformity above self-interest.”
Buyers indicated that consensus is one of their biggest frustrations with group decision making.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares three tips to redefine value in tough times.
Show Notes:
“During moments of scarcity and tough times, people focus more on what they give up versus gain.”
“In good times or in bad times, buyers still want value. That should give you hope.”
The utility of your solution doesn’t change, but the impact of your solution does. The impact of your solution should align with your prospect’s definition of value.
During tough times, people want tangible value. Dollarize the impact your solution has on the customer.
Buyers will pay more if you can reduce the worry factor.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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Paul shares three ideas to manage pending deals during this pandemic.
Show Notes:
People are emotional and irrational in good times; they are more emotional and irrational in tough times. So, rely on the logic they've already used.
"All this uncertainty is clouding our judgment, so let's use our previous logic and reasoning."
"Pressure takes the focus off of price. Pressure also establishes urgency in the buyer's process."
"Social proof will help play on the herding mentality."
"Remind your customer the greater cost, doing nothing." FOMO is real. Remind the customer of what they are missing.
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
The Tough Times Planning Tool is available in the download section!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares one idea that will keep you motivated and feeling accomplished.
Show Notes:
Their top salesperson said, “I’m struggling right now. I just don’t know how to stay motivated during this tough time.”
View negativity and moments of despair as a brief stop on your route, not the destination.
A sense of accomplishment gives a sense of pride. Accomplishment motivates us to do more. However, accomplishment is sparse in tough times. Therefore, we need to find a way to accomplish something.
Shine your shoes, wash your car, or cut your grass. Just find a way to accomplish something.
“Setup your day for accomplishment, not achievement. Here are five accomplishments.”
“Give yourself the satisfaction of crossing that item off your list.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
The Tough Times Planning Tool is available in the download section!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul shares ten questions to prepare you for a sales call in tough and uncertain times.
Show Notes:
Apparently, growing marijuana is more important that growing sales!
“90% of your competitors are NOT doing this…” Planning is your greatest opportunity to differentiate yourself.
These ten questions will help you prepare more effectively.
“A sales call with no objective is defective.” Value-added sellers act on purpose with a purpose.
Be prepared to share good news with your customer or prospect. “People are hungry for hope.”
“In the future, buyers focus on outcomes. Since buyers are focused on tomorrow’s outcomes, they’re not focused on what they have to sacrifice today.”
“If you want to be successful, you have to do the things your competition isn’t willing to do.”
Click here to purchase the latest copy of Value-Added Selling!
The Tough Times Planning Tool is available in the download section!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Paul interviews sales intelligence guru, Sam Richter. Sam shares ideas for salespeople to become more relevant with better customer research.
Show Notes:
The goal is to be exceptionally relevant to what the customer cares about. Most salespeople are missing an opportunity to instantly connect with prospects at a deeper level.
CRM is more than customer relationship management; it’s customer relevancy management.
In the post-COVID-19 world, information and relevancy is key. Salespeople can no longer afford to make an “irrelevant” cold call.
Understand what is relevant and align your message with what the prospect is deeply passionate about.
“Here’s what salespeople are doing wrong…”
“When you mention something genuine, you move up the relationship scale.”
In every interaction, create value for the customer.
“In a value-added follow-up, you share something that is extremely valuable to the other person.”
The following links have additional information on Sam Richter’s content:
www.SamRichter.com
www.SellingIntel.com
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares five tips when selling mortgage protection life insurance.
Show Notes:
Although this episode focuses specifically on mortgage protection life insurance, many of these ideas will apply other forms of insurance or financial products.
“The big challenge is asking the customer to buy something today; they will hopefully never actually need.”
Humans are hardwired to think short term. We place a greater emphasis on what we give up on today. The cost of attaining insurance today weighs heavier than the future benefit.
Ask the customer future-oriented questions. This will focus the conversation toward the future outcome and away from their sacrifice today.
People don’t like to think about dying. “Acknowledge the unpleasant nature of the life-insurance conversation.”
Refer to your customers as the leaders of the family. Leaders make tough decisions for the greater benefit of their families. You are setting an expectation with the “leadership” label.
“Remember, you’re not selling insurance. You’re selling protection.” Draw a parallel to other ways the customer protects their family.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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Paul shares ten signals that indicate a customer or prospect is ready to buy.
Show Notes:
The customer will let you know when they are ready to buy. The customer will give you several verbal and non-verbal signals.
“An interested buyer will ask for the price. Some salespeople confuse this question as a price objection.” Why would they ask the price if they weren’t interested?
“Don’t be too influenced by the tone of the customer.” Instead, analyze the content of their message, not the context. If a customer seems dissatisfied with your longer lead time, it means they want your product sooner.
What’s the difference between a customer saying “your product” versus “my product”? Look for possessive descriptors.
A buyer will ask overly technical questions as a last line of defense for poor decision making.
Do you have them on the edge of their seat? If so, they are engaged.
The most obvious verbal buying signal is “yes”.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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Could you be doing more harm than good? In this episode, Paul shares the common pitfalls of selling during these tough and uncertain times.
Show Notes:
Don’t be too aggressive. Refocus your energy and effort on aggressively growing your network. It might be more harmful to push deals forward. Focus on backfilling the top of your funnel.
Don’t serve new prospects at the cost of your current partners. This might cost you more in the long run. Also, don’t go out of your way to take care of your low-margin-high-aggravation-price-shopping customers. There is a cost to serve these bottom-of-the-barrel customers. And during tough times that cost may be too great to bear.
Just because some customers and prospects are struggling doesn’t mean that every customer and prospect is struggling.
Don’t feel guilty about charging your customers a fair price.
“I’m guessing your company website ends with ‘.com’ not ‘.org’. It’s okay to profit in tough times.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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What if your competitor has cheaper prices and more product? In this episode, Paul shares three ideas to sell more effectively when you are the underdog.
Show Notes:
“There is the constant back-and-forth question regarding small and large competitors.” Big companies can’t do what small companies can and vice versa.
“In Value-Added Selling, over 600 customers indicated that price was not the most important thing. In fact, there are ten things more important than price.” Don’t be fooled into thinking that price is the most important factor. It’s a factor, not the factor.
“What kind of value are you personally bringing?” All things being equal, the salesperson represents that one unique dimension of value.
Your knowledgeable expertise is critical. Knowledge ranked higher than product availability. “Your availability of knowledge has to be greater than your competitor’s availability of product.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
In this inspiring episode, Dirk Beveridge shares his perspective on leadership in these uncertain times.
Show Notes:
Health is the big difference about this crisis. There is an entire generation of professionals who are experiencing their first crisis. “Life’s been pretty damn good the past ten years. I know we’re going to make it through this but …”
Leaders need to understand the depth of concern from the younger professionals. This is their first crisis.
Dirk is creating content in motion. On Sunday afternoons, Dirk is tapping into leaders throughout distribution. I asked Dirk, “What’s the general response from leaders?”
“I’ve been inspired with what they have to say … They’re doing all of this with heart.”
This tough time creates an opportunity for organizations to get back to their purpose. To focus on their values. Organizations need to realign with their true north.
During these tough times, it’s important that new leaders don’t try to “do it all alone … Now is not the time to shelter in place.” It’s also important to think longer term. Don’t succumb to the pressure of short-term panic.
Check out Dirk’s open letter.
https://unleashwd.com/shift-to-tomorrow-letter/
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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Paul shares eight ideas to help you effectively manage and lead your team through these tough times.
Show Notes:
If salespeople report to you, your number one job is to coach them, lead them, and manage them. “Now is the time to further develop your team. Role-play with them, work on their phone skills, and lift them up.”
Pressure rolls downhill. “Don’t apply pressure to your team to hit their numbers! The pressure you apply to your team is the same pressure they apply to your customers.”
Over the next few weeks, your team needs support not pressure.
Find a reason to celebrate. Any success—big or small—is a reason to celebrate!
Check out this article. Gallup has studied leadership through a crisis for a long time. During this crisis, your team needs these four things…
Click here for Gallup article!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios. Book a complimentary consultation about your show at http://www.thecreativeimpostor.com/qanda
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Paul shares six ways to build mental strength. Every day is an opportunity to become stronger.
Get your Mental Daily Flex Exercise downloadable PDF.
Show Notes:
“Gratitude reduces stress. It also increases your happiness.” There is always something to be grateful for.
“Tough times are going to sharpen your senses and spark creativity.” Give yourself the freedom to explore this creativity. The pain we experience is a catalyst for change.
“Discipline is critical during tough times. The best way to develop self-discipline is to…”
“You’re going to experience some negative events. Train your brain to find a positive outcome from negative events.” There is always a blessing in the burden.
Find a way to spread positive news and hope with at least three people every day.
Surround yourself with positivity and prune negativity.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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During tough times you will face price objections. In this episode, Paul shares five ideas to manage price objections.
Show Notes:
In good times or bad times, buyers want value. When buyers question price, they're really questioning the fairness of your price for the value they receive. Price is only an issue in the absence of value.
“The first step is clarifying the objection to uncover the root cause.” The root cause is what you need to address. During tough times it could be cash flow, uncertainty, lack of budget, etc.
“Create flexible options for your customers.” Get creative and help your customers through this tough time.
“Buyers want control during these tough and uncertain times. These ideas will give your buyers a stronger sense of control…”
“Invoke a little empathy and cast a little doubt.” The buyer's greatest fear is not overpaying; it’s losing their sense of security and peace-of-mind.
“Leverage every concession into an additional opportunity.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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How do you build customer relationships if you can’t meet with customers? In this episode, Paul shares three tips to build relationships during this crisis.
Show Notes:
A salesperson recently asked, “How can I continue to build relationships with my customers during these crazy times? It’s hard to build a relationship if I can’t even meet with them.”
Any good relationship is built upon trust. There is never a wrong time to start doing what is right. It’s important to be transparent with customers.
“Customers want to be hopeful. Find a way to deliver hope.” Whether it’s your message or your action, deliver hope.
“People feel isolated.” Now is the best time to reach out to them. Be there for your customers. Listen to your customers. Connect with your customers.
“Humanize yourself.” Don’t be afraid to introduce your customers to your family via zoom or FaceTime.
Perform acts of consideration and make your customer a hero!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Mental toughness is critical in tough times. In this episode, Jimmy Vreeland, an Army Ranger, shares his insight on mental toughness.
Show Notes:
“I love creating value for other people, but I don't run a charity and dollars follow value. So maybe you're not collecting the cash right now, but to me, selling is creating value. So, if you're up and you're breathing, you better be creating value.” - Jimmy Vreeland, Army Ranger
Whether it’s good times or bad times salespeople create value. That’s our calling. Salespeople find a way to create value.
Which profession requires more mental toughness; being an Army Ranger or owning your own business? You’ll be surprised at the response!
To gain mental toughness, think of the worst-case-scenario first, and then sell your way out of that situation.
What’s worse than bullets flying past you in battle? You’ll be surprised at the answer!
When you feel as though your thoughts are going dark, TAKE ACTION! You can sell your way out of the funk you are in.
“Jimmy, what advice do you have for salespeople who are facing tough times for the first time?”
Jimmy says… “SUCK IT UP!”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares the characteristics of tough timers and how they respond to adversity. Customers also have three additional concerns during this coronavirus crisis.
Show Notes:
“When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will exercise his mind with suffering, subject his sinews and bones to hard work, expose his body to hunger, put him to poverty, place obstacles in the paths of his deeds, so as to stimulate his mind, harden his nature, and improve wherever he is incompetent. ” ~Meng Tzu Chinese Philosopher
These tough times are readying us for something far greater!
Customers have three additional concerns during these uncertain times.
“One of their primary concerns is their ability to take care of their own customers. Ask yourself this question to create more value…”
“There are some customers who are looking to invest now and better position themselves long term”
Tough timers have an unwavering belief that things will get better. “Try this exercise to strengthen your belief…”
Tough timers control their time, schedule, and attitude. Perceived control makes us healthier and happier.
“Tough timers laugh through the struggle, not at the struggle.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Right now, there is a cloud of uncertainty. In this episode, Paul shares four tips to manage these uncertain times.
Show Notes:
“All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” ~Walt Disney
Leadership is critical in these uncertain times. Salespeople are leaders. Leaders for customers, colleagues, family, and friends.
We’re going to face tough times. This will be a defining moment in your career. Some of you will merely go through this tough time, but others will grow through this tough time.
“Here are the three biggest mistakes salespeople make during uncertain times…”
“Don’t commiserate with your customers. Motivate them.”
“Here’s what customers are concerned about during these tough times…”
“We’re in the shock phase right now. That means traditional selling tactics might be viewed as opportunistic. Don’t focus on selling over the next two weeks, focus on supporting.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Between the bear market and the global coronavirus pandemic, salespeople are facing uncertainty. In this episode, Paul shares several tips to sell in uncertain times.
Show Notes
“There is no profession better equipped to handle uncertainty than salespeople. Think about it. Salespeople face uncertainty every single day.”
“You need to embrace an unwavering belief that our best days are yet to come.” Warren Buffet’s letter to America’s CEOs provides some great insights.
Fear creates inaction and people are hitting the pause button. “Don’t hit the pause button, press play. Move forward.”
Focus on the positive and share the good news. Be a merchant of hope. Leave your customer’s office a little bit brighter than it was before.
TURN OFF THE NEWS! Stay connected to information, but don’t obsess over it.
Look to the gray-hairs for their wisdom, confidence, and calmness. Be the experienced calming force on your team. Be the calming force for your customers.
And finally, wash your hands!
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares four tips to help you build a better sales pitch. But before building your sales pitch, you must gain an in-depth understanding of the customer’s needs.
Show Notes:
To build an effective sales presentation remember the four P’s: Personalize the message, build perceived value, demonstrate performance value, and use proof.
“The buyer must feel like your solution was created specifically for their needs.” The more personal to the buyer, the more likely they are to buy.
Build perceived value by using positive focus words. Focusing on gains will compel the buyer to act.
“Understand your buyer’s needs and then ask yourself these three questions to prepare your presentation…”
“People value proof more than opinion.” Too often salespeople make unsubstantiated claims while attempting to persuade the buyer.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares seven tips to help new salespeople become more successful.
Show Notes
What do salespeople have in common with Albert Einstein?
“The best advice I could give any salesperson whether you’re new or experienced, is to be a person of value.”
Focus on making a difference, not just a deal.
Although you just graduated from school, you’re becoming a student all over again. “Be a student of your profession.”
“Your benchmark for success should be your potential, not your colleague’s performance.”
“Prepare, prepare, prepare! Whether it’s a meeting with a customer, your boss, or fellow salesperson—prepare.”
“In sales, you’re going to fail more often than you succeed, but that’s okay. The failures are where you learn.” Learn from your mistakes and then forget about them.
“Last year’s sales don’t count for this year’s quota.” Learn from your successes and then forget about them.
“Finally, treat everyone you meet as if they are three times more important than their title suggests.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Are customers giving you all the credit you deserve? Paul shares three examples to reinforce and validate the value you deliver.
Show Notes:
“Nobody gets the credit they deserve; you only get the credit you ask for.” Therefore, its…
“As most people are unaware of the air they breathe; most customers are unaware of the value they receive.”
Your customer is not intentionally forgetting about your value, they just don’t think about it. When things work the way they should, they don’t notice it.
Value reinforcement is critical because price only becomes an issue in the absence of value. If the customer forgets about your value, price becomes an issue.
There are two things you can do to validate and remind the customer of the value you deliver: dollarize the impact of your value, and communicate that impact to different levels of decision makers.
“_______ is the number-one reason salespeople discount their price. So, ask yourself this question…”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares three tips to help you sell against a (sucky) competitor without badmouthing them.
Show Notes
“We all have that one competitor that everyone loves to hate.”
It’s shocking how some customers choose a solution that is vastly inferior to other alternatives. Yet, these same decision makers are not likely to change. “Even if the competitor is really terrible, there are still a few customers that like them.”
Have you ever noticed that people have trouble admitting they’re wrong? “When people make any decision, they feel the need to justify their decision.” The buyer’s need to justify their decision can cloud their vision of a better alternative.
“People love sticking with what is familiar.” The status quo is a formidable competitor. The fear of the unknown is greater than sticking with a subpar solution.
When you’re selling against a sucky competitor, try these three things…
“Call attention to your strengths by…”
“Recruit internal champions to help you…”
“The buyer’s ego might get in the way of accepting your idea. So, instead of offering the same solution try…"
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Relationship building is a critical skill for salespeople, especially new salespeople. In this episode, Paul shares several relationship-building tips.
Show Notes
The foundation of any good relationship is trust. As a new salesperson, your initial goal shouldn’t be building relationships, it should be building trust.
“Trust means that you deliver the good news and the bad news. It means setting expectations and then delivering on them.”
Look for opportunities to build trust.
“Discounting is an integrity issue. Think of the impact that discount has on your customer relationship.”
If you’re new to sales, learn from your customers. Fully immerse yourself in the customer’s business. In some ways, the customer is your teacher, making you their student. And naturally, your teacher will want to see you succeed.
The customer giving you “last look” is fool’s gold. “At first glance, ‘last look’ might seem like an advantage, but it’s not.” Don’t take the bait.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Have you ever struggled to compete with Amazon? In this episode, Paul shares several ideas to help you compete more profitably, even against Amazon
Show Notes:
Is Amazon really that tough of a competitor? Our research shows that customers want more than cheap prices.
“Although Amazon can beat your price, can they beat you at the other ten items?”
If you’re trying to beat Amazon, take a tip from Jeff Bezos; be customer obsessed, not competitor obsessed.
“For every ounce of energy you focus on Amazon, focus ten times that amount on the customer and their needs.”
Don’t fall prey to the “Amazon Effect.” When Amazon enters a new market, competitors freak out. Competitors adopt a wait-and-see approach instead of being proactive.
“When you’re selling against Amazon, remember these tips…”
“Who’s making a bigger deal out of Amazon, you or the customer? Here are a few data points to consider…”
For additional tips on selling against Amazon, pick up our latest edition of Value-Added Selling. There is an entire chapter dedicated to competing against Amazon (which is kind of funny since the book is available on Amazon).
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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It’s difficult, but not impossible, to communicate value in a competitive bid. In this episode, we cover several tips that will help you sell more profitably in bidding scenarios.
Show Notes:
The acronym RFP might stand for Request For Proposal. It really means Request For Price! Think about it…buyers are trying to squeeze every bit of margin out of the deal by putting you into a competitive scenario.
The acronym RFI might stand for Request For Information, but it really means Request For Imitation. Review the last RFI you provided. I’m guessing it sounds, looks, and feels the same as your competition.
“The bidding process is flawed because it’s based on the buyer’s interpretation of their own needs.” Too often, buyers are unaware of their needs. Or, they don’t fully understand the impact of their decision on other areas of the business.
Before spending too much time on bidding opportunities, ask yourself, “Do we even want this type of business?”
If you’re going to spend your time, energy, and effort on a competitive bid, you are entitled to certain rights. We call this the Seller’s Bill of Rights. Every salesperson has the right to these four things…
A buyer that withholds decision-making criteria is the equivalent of a teacher not telling you how they calculate your grade. You have the right to this information.
Managing a competitive bid or tender is a three-part process: preparation, submission, and the recap. Preparation is key.
“Instead of a competitive bid, ask the buyer for a negotiated settlement. Ask the buyer, ‘What do you hope to get in a bid that we can’t figure out one on one?’”
What if you decided not to participate in their process? Instead, make the customer an alternative offer.
“Never let the bidding process stifle your creativity as a value-added salesperson.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul explains what perceived value is and how it influences your buyer’s expectations.
Show Notes
The buyer’s perception is reality. How they perceive your value does matter. Perceived value is the look and feel of your solution. Perceived value raises your buyer’s expectation.
“Price builds perceived value and impacts the buyer’s perception. It’s a good thing to be more expensive than your competition.”
Paul highlights two experiments that prove price builds perceived value. Even wine experts, ranking different wines, cannot resist the effects of price and perception.
The weight of your proposal matters, both in the words you choose and the paper you use.
The actual weight of your paper matters. A heavier proposal builds perceived value.
The buyer’s perception of you can either add value, or subtract it. Your level of professionalism matters.
“Is your level of professionalism consistent with the expectation you have set?”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Have you ever struggled to sell more to existing customers? In this episode, Paul shares several tips and explains why you should focus on existing customers versus prospects.
Show Notes:
Did you know that top-achieving salespeople spend more time selling to their existing customers than to prospects?
It’s more important to sell to existing customers than to new prospects. Research shows that it is more profitable and it’s easier to sell to existing customers.
When you’re selling to existing customers, there is a right way to do it and a wrong way. Your attitude matters when you’re selling to existing customers. Don’t ask yourself, “How can I sell more stuff to this customer?” Instead ask yourself, “How can I…”
Don’t position yourself like every other seller. Don’t ask the customer for more projects to quote. Instead ask the customer for more…
“At the end of every single sales call this top achiever would ask customers this one question…” This top achiever believes that this “one question” has created most of his success.
“Your goal is not to sell, sell, sell or demo, demo, demo. It’s to create more value.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Paul chats with keynote speaker and author Ryan Jenkins, the leading voice on Millennials and Generation Z, about why you’re not connecting with them and what you can do about it.
Show Notes:
The beginning of a fresh decade is a great time to address stale sales techniques. With more than 11 million Millennial global decision-makers in the marketplace (and counting), it’s also imperative that you do so.
Old ways of doing business won’t build bridges across the generational sales divide. Luckily, Ryan has some suggestions:
A substantial online presence is key. Millennials and GenZ decision-makers self-educate well before seeking out a salesperson. If they can’t find you online or, worse, discover an anemic website or social presence, they won’t be interested in engaging with you.
Understand that their buying is heavily socially influenced. A salesperson is no longer the first line of introduction to a product or service. Millennials read online reviews and get personal network recommendations well before contacting you/your brand.
Take your high-touch high tech. Millennial not returning your calls? Like everyone else, Millennials appreciate high-touch relationships. They just prefer engaging via platforms that don’t predate the laptop. So, ask them: How do you like to connect? Text, FaceTime, Skype, even Snapchat can be employed to nurture a sales relationship.
Let go of generational biases. Quit holding on to the lazy Millennial trope. This generation has grown up in an increasingly effortless and seamless world. “They’re going to expect more effortless and seamless experiences from salespeople they do business with,” says Ryan. “That doesn’t make them entitled. That just makes them this next generation of workers or employees or customers.”
Get in touch with Ryan Jenkins:
Ryan-Jenkins.com
YouTube
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares the worst sales advice he has received. This is a great episode on what NOT to do in sales.
Show Notes:
Have you ever wondered why timeshare sellers get a bad reputation? Well, one of them told me some of their secrets to create false demand.
Never price shame a prospective buyer. There are better ways to present your price. Someone said, "If you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it?"
Be respectful of personal boundaries. "The salesperson thought they were building trust."
How not to respond if the buyer says, "I need to check with my spouse."
Buyers hate it when you ask self-serving questions. Don't lead a buyer down an obvious path. "This is by far one of the worse questions a salesperson has ever asked…"
Our show exists to help salespeople sell more professionally and profitably. Sometimes that means explaining what not to do.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Paul shares some interesting advice on how to spend the last few weeks of the year.
Show Notes:
The most important thing you can do during this time of the year is…Nothing. Relax, make fewer calls, take time off. Salespeople are hustling all year long. Take some time to relax.
Once you relax, “Analyze the sales that you lost in 2019.” We learn from our failures and failures motivate. Also, make sure you also analyze your successes.
Be thankful. Take some time to express gratitude. Be thankful for your customers, your company, and your fellow employees.
Invest in yourself. Salespeople are like business owners. And every business owner must invest in their business. How are you going to invest in yourself?
Let your goals come to you. Quiet your mind, filter out the noise and listen for your goal.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Paul discusses the seven realities of buyer resistance and how to overcome it.
Show Notes:
Buyer resistance takes shape in many forms. Buyers might claim your price is too high, the timing isn’t right, or worse, they give you the silent treatment. These are all forms of resistance.
Buyer resistance is a break in your momentum, that’s all! Don’t get too frustrated.
There are seven realities of price resistance. “First of all, you’re going to experience lots of resistance.”
Paul offers sage advice from an old colleague. “Persistence beats resistance!”
“Preparation builds confidence.” Before a tough meeting, prepare for the interaction. Who’s better prepared for your meeting, you or the buyer?
“Attitude drives behavior.” Make sure you mentally prepare yourself before handling customer resistance.
“The bigger the deal the more resistance you’ll experience.” When you do experience resistance, adopt a small wins approach.
When a buyer voices their objection, they feel the need to defend their stance. By proactively acknowledging their potential objection, the buyer feels no need to defend it.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Have you ever wondered what type of questions you should be asking? Paul shares seven key questions to help you generate a great discussion with prospects and customers.
Show Notes:
Questions help you understand the buyer’s needs and generate a good information exchange. It’s critical that salespeople ask the right questions the right way.
“Great questions cause the buyer to think…and speak.”
Prospects aren’t just buying products. They are also buying your company, and you, the salesperson. Ask the buyer what they expect along those three dimensions.
“Transport the buyer into the future.” A long-term question will help the buyer focus on outcomes, not price.
Whatever you do, don’t ask this question, “Is…?”
Gain an in-depth understanding of your competition. “Keep in mind that your toughest competitor could be a ‘do nothing.’”
Allow the buyer to dream and think bigger. This is by far one of my favorite questions to ask prospects. ‘What…?’
Remember to ask yourself a question to help you prepare for your meeting. “What do I give this prospect the opportunity to do tomorrow that they cannot do today?”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
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Paul shares three ideas to help you sell on value when your competitor is selling the exact same product or service.
Show Notes:
What if a buyer told you, "I can buy the same thing cheaper down the road?" Is that really a price objection?
"Price shoppers will take your value-added solution and strip it down to its most basic, naked core-commodity product."
Price shoppers often try to commoditize your product and or service. They want to focus the conversation toward price. And if they convince your product is the same, you're more likely to discount.
"Price shoppers take a narrow view of the buying process." Some buyers view the end-to-end experience as a mere transaction, which focuses the conversation toward price. Expand the price shopper's view of their own buying process.
Big change happens little by little. Focus on small wins to win over price shoppers.
The salesperson brings 25 percent of the total value. Identify all the ways you, the salesperson, can bring more value to the experience.
Differentiation is key. Even if you're selling the same product, there are ways you can differentiate. "When you're attempting to differentiate your alternative focus on your…"
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Presenting price increases can be tricky. On this show, Paul offers nine tips to help present price increases to customers more confidently.
Show Notes:
Most salespeople loathe presenting price increases to their customers. Mainly because they’re fearful of losing the business. A price increase might open the door to the competition.
Your attitude matters when presenting price increases.
“As the incumbent provider, you have a lot of power.” People like to stick with what is familiar, and a cheaper alternative usually isn’t enough for customers to switch.
Remember, this is not a unique problem that you are experiencing. “All of your competitors are experiencing this same challenge, which actually creates an opportunity for you.”
The words you use matter when presenting an increase. “Don’t use the words price increase. Instead, use the words…”
Explain the reasons behind the increase. Your explanation provides justification for the adjustment.
Remind the customer of the value that you deliver and get credit for the impact it has on the business. “Ninety days before the price increase, it’s critical that you…”
Consider offering your customer an adjustment period to soften the blow. “One salesperson in a recent seminar shared an example…”
Fairness is important to your customers. “Reassure your customers that everyone is participating in the price adjustment.”
Confidence is key when presenting an increase. Use these tips and ideas to prepare for your next increase.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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This episode focuses on a particular type of buyer, the spreadsheet buyers. These types of buyers tend to focus on price and fail to see the intangible factors. Paul provides you with some tips when selling to these buyers.
Show Notes
How could you calculate aggravation, frustration or emotional impact on a spreadsheet? “Spreadsheets don’t really cover the intangible side of decision making.” Some of the intangible factors could have the greatest impact.
Although a spreadsheet-minded buyer can be frustrating, it’s also a positive sign that the decision-maker is engaged in the buying process. “A spreadsheet means they are serious about buying.”
The buyer’s spreadsheet creates an opportunity for the seller. “The more you understand the buyer’s spreadsheet, the more you can understand what the buyer is trying to accomplish.”
“You’re trying to get the buyer to think differently.” If the buyer thinks and decides in terms of spreadsheets, help them think differently. Essentially, you’re selling the buyer on an idea. To help sell your idea, find a parallel. Look for another area of their business where they have adopted the idea you’re selling.
“Help the decision maker understand their own buying process at a deeper level.” When the buyer is more aware of the complexity of their needs, they’re less concerned about price.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
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Imagine spending six – nine months trying to close a deal. The customer is ready to buy, but they tell you, “Your price is double the competition!”
On this show, Paul answers Jeff’s question:
“We consistently compete on price because our product is always the most expensive! When we compete on technical capabilities, we always have an advantage. But justifying the higher cost is a challenge. How do we avoid going through a long sales cycle and losing the business at the end? Customers always see the value in our extended capabilities but have trouble justifying the 2X cost.”
Paul responds, “The key is figuring out what makes your solution different or better and why that is meaningful to the customer.”
In this type of selling scenario, there are going to be multiple decision makers, and they are getting involved at different phases. You must identify who is involved and how they define value. This needs to happen early on in the buying process.
“How are you going to sell them on your value, if you don’t understand how they define value?”
Additionally, multiple decision makers can complicate the buying process. “There are group dynamics you just can’t ignore.” Paul explains, “Groups want to conform.” On the show, Paul demonstrates how to facilitate group conformity. “It’s not enough to just gain individual buy-in with decision makers…”
How do you respond when your price is double the competition?
“Being double the competition is a big hill to climb, but you can climb that hill, if your solution is worth it.”
“Don’t focus on the price of your solution. The key is to…”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul addresses the most common and frustrating challenge that salespeople face. Paul also explains why buyers object on price and he gives you the best way to respond.
Price objections are what prompted the original edition of Value-Added Selling. Salespeople constantly experience price resistance, yet they are woefully unprepared to manage price objections.
“Price is not the most important thing when making a buying decision.”
Only about 15 percent of buyers focus on price when making a buying decision. This means that roughly 85 percent do not buy on price. That’s great news!
“Most price objections aren’t real price objections!”
Oftentimes, customers will mention price as the objection but there is usually something deeper or hidden we need to uncover. So, when the buyer mentions price, clarify with a follow-up question.
“The number-one reason buyers object on price is because of a perceived lack of equity.”
Fairness is critical in buying decisions. Buyers must feel they are getting as good as they are giving. Your response to price objections must build a perceived sense of fairness.
Paul also provides the hands-down, best way to respond to any price objection.
“Mr. Buyer, the reason you’re concerned about price is because…”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul tackles a common challenge salespeople face — How to compete with low-cost providers. Paul also taps into the implications of discounting. ***
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Transcript How can I compete against low-cost providers?
A few weeks ago, I was in a presentation, and during the break, a salesperson said, “I’ve got one of my long-standing customers who is now starting to question price.”
He continued, “I have this one
competitor who is offering cheap prices, across the board, to try to buy the
business.”
I know this is a common
challenge that salespeople are facing. Let’s unpack this challenge a little
bit. If you have a low-cost provider that is out there promising cheap prices,
it really can screw up the market. Your existing customers that are familiar
with your value added, see a lower price and compare that price to what they’re
currently paying. That creates what we call an equity gap. They start to
question the fairness of what you’re charging them for the value they receive. As
they’re questioning it, they’re starting to become more open to this other
alternative. This creates an equity gap that can frustrate customers. It
certainly frustrates salespeople.
How
can I compete against low-cost providers?
The first thing to do is take
a look at this competitor. Do a basic SWOT analysis; try to understand them; try
to figure out where they are vulnerable, or where they are weak. When you analyze
cheaper competitors, you’re usually able to find one or two things that are a
weakness that also can draw attention to a strength that you have. For example,
I remember a group we did some work with a couple years ago. They were selling
in industrial distribution, and they had a company that was promising cheap
prices. After they analyzed this particular competitor, they noticed that thee
salespeople were not very knowledgeable. In fact, they didn’t bring any real
value. Now, when they’re going out there competing against this low-cost
provider, they’re asking questions that call attention to this competitor’s
weakness.
For example, when the customer
says to them “I can get this cheaper over at XYZ Distributor,” they say, “I
know there’s a difference in the price, but what about the experience of their
sales team? Are they able to come in and solve problems? Are they able to bring
some experience to help you become more profitable?” They’re calling attention
to that competitor’s weakness.
When you’re dealing with a
low-cost provider that gives stupid-low prices, use a framing technique—we call
it the boomerang or casting a little bit of doubt. I’ll give you an example. A
couple of years ago, I was interested in getting Lasik eye surgery, and I went
to go meet with a reputable doctor. We talked about it; he asked a lot of
questions, and he explained the whole process and even shared with me the kind
of equipment he’s using. And then he gave me his price. The price at the time
was about $5,000. I explained, “That’s quite an investment. I’m going to do a
little more research.” I remember seeing billboards, and I heard a radio ad for
this other doctor who was offering Lasik eye surgery. It was right by my house,
so I decided to stop in. Now, it was a completely different experience going to
the other doctor. As soon as I got in there, it felt like they were pulling out
all the old used-car techniques. They were trying to schedule me in to get the
surgery before I even had discussed with the doctor what I wanted to
accomplish. Finally, I said, “Before I get surgery, I want to talk to the
doctor.” I talked to him, and he asked me a couple of questions, but then he
said, “I just had a cancellation next week. If you can agree today to the
surgery, I’ll do both of your eyes for $500.” When he said, I’ll do both of your eyes, I thought,
what was he going to do, just one of them originally? He was going to do it for
$500. That, right then and there, made me think. I questioned, “What am I
really getting from $5,000 to $500? A big, big difference.” I remember calling
the other doctor. I said, “Just to let you know, there’s another guy out there
that’s offering $500 Lasik surgery. What’s the difference?” He responded by
saying, “Do you really want to go cheap on something like your eyes? I mean,
$500 versus $5,000? Doesn’t that scare you a little bit?” And I acknowledged,
“Yeah, it certainly does.”
That’s a boomerang technique.
And you can do something similar.
If you have one of your
customers saying, “We can get this cheaper somewhere else. We’ve got this
low-cost provider here,” question it with, “I know what we charge for this. I
know we charge a fair price.” “Do you really want to go cheap here?” “Are you
concerned at all about their ability to deliver?” “With the price that low,
doesn’t that concern you at all?”
Asking those types of
questions can cast a little bit of doubt, and also, you can use that as an
opportunity to reinforce some of the strengths of what you offer. Again, ask
questions that call attention to the weakness of that low-cost provider. Use
that boomerang technique.
The other thing you’ve got to
remember, pricing builds perceived value. In the absence of all other
information—price is one of the greatest indicators of quality and performance.
When the customer says, “Your price is a lot higher,” use that as an
opportunity to explain some of the value—what they’re really getting. Keep in
mind, at some level, the customer is looking at your solution; they’re looking
at a much cheaper alternative, thinking, I
pay more but I’m going to get more. We can tap into that a little bit.
Speaking of pricing—building
in perceived value—I was listening to a great podcast episode on Guy Raz’s How I Built This, and he had the
founder of Tempurpedic, the mattress company, on there. I forgot the exact
story and how it all happened, but, I know they were trying to get their memory
foam mattresses into one of those Brookstone-type stores. They weren’t selling
all that well once they got the mattresses in there. But, then, they ended up
raising the price on the mattresses. Once they raised the price, they started
selling more. As consumers, we associate price with quality, which means we
also associate cheap prices with lousy quality to some extent.
When you’ve got these low-cost
providers, there’s one other thing you have to remember—there’s an integrity
element to this scenario. If you have a low-cost provider that comes in and all
of a sudden you match their price—come down to their level—your customer starts
to question your integrity. They’re thinking to themselves, “If you can match
their price now, why weren’t you doing this all along?” You start to lose a
little bit of credibility. By discounting in this type of scenario, you’re
starting to lose a little bit of trust, which, I think, is a lot worse than
losing an order. Explain to the customer, “Here’s what we can do.” “Here’s how we’re different than that competitor.”
Maybe cast a little bit of doubt, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to tell
the customer, “We’re already giving you our best price, and our best value
along with that.” I wouldn’t discount, especially to go after a low-cost
provider. You might end up losing more than just an order; you might lose some
of their trust. Keep that in mind when you’re out there selling against
low-cost providers.
Just a quick tactical review:
Number one – ask questions
that call attention to that low-cost provider’s weaknesses.
Number two – use the boomerang
technique. If the pricing is shockingly different, then go ahead and call
attention to that and say, “I understand there’s a difference in our price, but
doesn’t that scare you at all? If they’re coming in that low, I’d be a little
concerned about their ability to deliver.” It’s okay to cast a little bit of
doubt there. At the same time, you want to remind the customer of the value you
bring that is different.
Number three – keep in mind
that pricing does build perceived value. If you decide to match that price and
get down and dirty with that low-cost competitor, you could end up losing more
than just an order. You could end up losing some of the trust that you’re
building up.
Too often, buyers will focus on price before you’ve had a chance to prove your value. In this episode, Paul shares some ideas to proactively take control of the sales conversation. * Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
In this episode, Paul answers the question, how do I avoid discussing price too early in the conversation? Buyers often focus on price early in the conversation. This is especially true in commoditized industries. When buyers view multiple solutions as the same, they focus more on price.
“Well, any time the customer leads you into a pricing conversation before you’ve proven the actual value, your price is going to be too high. The customer has yet to really understand what it is that you actually do for them.”
When customers make buying decisions, they analyze four variables: Price, Cost, Utility, and Impact.
“Price is what you charge for your product or service. It’s pretty straightforward, but, Cost is much broader. Cost is what that buyer really sacrifices. Utility is what your product or service actually does, but Impact is how it really affects the buyer.”
“When the buyer asks about price, don’t freak out and start listing price.” Instead, redirect the conversation to cost. For example,
“Well, Mr. Customer, I understand that price is one of the many factors you consider when making this decision, but the reason you’re asking about price is because you’re really concerned about saving on
your total cost. Is that right?”
If you’re talking total cost, you can share ideas to reduce their cost. If you’re talking price, you’re more likely to discount. Once you have changed the conversation from price to total cost, you can discuss all the ways your solution will help that buyer save on their total cost. The next step is to ask questions related to total cost.
Ask questions to identity all the ways you buyer determines cost. For example, “How do you calculate labor on this project?”, “How is cost determined throughout this project?”, or “What are some of those soft
or hidden costs associated with this decision?”
Have you ever been ghosted by a customer or prospect?
Sure you have! Every salesperson has dealt with an unresponsive customer or prospect. In this episode, Paul offers some practical advice to overcome this challenge.
On today’s show, we answer one of the most common questions that salespeople ask, “How do you deal with an unresponsive customer or prospect?”
Every salesperson has experienced this challenge: You’ve left countless messages, sent numerous e-mails, and you’re left just waiting and hoping that that customer’s going to call back.
In sales, we’re asking the buyer to consider their priorities (in business and life), and trying to convince them that our offering is going to make a difference in their business; a difference that is so compelling that it’s worth taking the time to meet with us.
“The first thing we’re going to look at today is how we structure our message, and there’s an acronym I want you to remember: GET. GET is an acronym that stands for GRAB their attention, ESTABLISH the need, and TEASE them with a benefit.”
Have a Call-To-Action at the end of the message. Ask the buyer for their time. Request the meeting and give some specific times. Providing specific times will make it easier for the buyer to commit. Don’t leave it open-ended by saying, “Let me know how your schedule looks next week.” That’s too broad. Give them a few options. It’s easier for them to decide.
Also, remember to be creative with your follow-up ideas. And, finally, don’t become a prisoner of hope. Establish how many successful call backs you’ll make before calling it quits.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Have you ever wondered why customers or prospects won’t change? You might have a better solution, but the decision maker is still reluctant. In this episode, Paul discusses some of the psychological forces that impact your customer’s or prospect’s decision making process.
In this episode, Paul answers an interesting question: Why won’t customer change?
“Well, we’re going to answer that question today and take a look at some of the deeper psychology behind this question and there’s three things we’re going to focus on: The Status Quo Bias, Loss Aversion, and the Endowment Effect, alright?”
Paul uncovers how these biases impact customer decision making and most importantly, he provides some tips and ideas to overcome these biases
“So, first things first; let’s talk about loss aversion and how it relates to change. Loss aversion basically means that losses loom larger than gains.” Customers will focus more on what they have to give up versus what they gain anytime a change takes place.
People like to stick with what they know. Customers like familiarity. They like to stick with what they know and what they trust.
“So, if you’re talking to a prospect or a customer and trying to displace a competitor, define the concept or idea you’re selling and then draw a parallel to how they’re already buying into this concept or idea.”
The Endowment Effect is the tendency for people to place higher value on the things that they own versus the things they don’t own.
“If anyone’s ever tried to sell their home, for example, you meet with the realtor and then you tell the realtor, ‘Here is what I think my house is worth.’ But the realtor tells you what it’s actually worth. We place a higher value on it because we own it.
“So, again, yes, it is a challenge when customers don’t want to change. This podcast, hopefully, gave you a couple of ideas on how you can help inspire change, alright? Just to recap, remember, with Loss Aversion, whatever they give up is going to loom larger than what they gain, so, you’ve got to show 1.5 to 2.5 times of gain compared to what they have to give up to attain it.
When we talk about the Status Quo Bias, be able to explain how your ideas and concepts are familiar to them already. Draw a parallel to another area of their business.
And then, the final thing we talked about is the Endowment Effect. People place a higher value on the ideas that are their own, versus your ideas. So, somehow, try to convince and plant your idea in that customer’s mind.”
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.
Paul answers a few basic questions about the show and the format. He also explains where the sales questions come from and how you, the listener, can ask questions. What is The Q and A Sales Podcast? Salespeople constantly have questions running through their minds, and the purpose of this podcast is to answer those questions. Here is the basic framework for the show; Paul is going to answer one question per show. Some answers are pretty straightforward, and other answers are more complex. Sometimes there will be guests, and other times it will just be Paul.
Who is Paul Reilly? Paul Reilly is a salesperson, professional speaker, sales trainer, author, and podcaster. So, what qualifies Paul to answer these questions? Well, he has probably made every mistake you can make in sales! (Just partially kidding.)
Where do the questions come from? These questions come from you, the sales community. Paul is constantly interacting with salespeople. Whether it’s during his training seminars, keynote presentations, or just having a one-on-one conversation, salespeople will undoubtedly ask him a question. Those questions are turned into a show.
Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please, go to the home page, subscribe, share it with your friends, but most importantly, ask the question that you want answered.
The Q and A Sales Podcast is edited by The Creative Impostor Studios.
http://www.theqandasalespodcast.com
Thank you for tuning in. Make it a big day.