It's official! We have moved to a new website. You may now read insight from "The Sales Hunter" on our "Sales Motivation Blog". Click on the link below or visit www.thesaleshunter.com/blog. It's the same great stuff, just a new location!
Sales Motivation Blog
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sales Dog Blog
www.SalesDog.com is an outstanding website for information on the selling profession. Sure, I’m prejudice since they frequently release my material. Their blog currently features one of my many Sellling Tips. To read it, visit: http://www.salesdog.com/digit.asp
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Professional Selling Skills: Apple, iPod, and Pricing Integrity
Pricing integrity is essential. This week, we saw a classic example of a signficant mistake by a company that, until now, had built up a huge group of core / passionate customers. Apple and Steve Jobs have always been arrogant. It’s in their DNA and it’s what has helped them create the following they have in the world of personal computers.
We all know what happened: a few months ago Apple released the iPod phone for $599. The price was high, but they were confident and their good story of saying it was both a phone and iPod all-in-one supposedly made the price a smart move. Fast forward to now: they cut the price by $200 and, in so doing, they make everyone who bought an iPhone out to be a fool for paying $200 more. Apple responded in its wonderful, arrrogant way only after an outpouring of complaints by granting their customers a $100 in-store credit.
In this simple action, Apple and Steve Jobs demonstrated a complete lack of pricing integrity. This is a great example as to why it is essential to establish a price and stick to it. The action by Apple tells their customer base that the next time they come out with anything new, wait and buy it after they do a price reduction. This action also undermines the confidence of their employeess. Finally, the action harms the price / value relationship that the company has worked so hard to establish.
I can’t think of a better example of why it’s so important to have pricing integrity. I’m also very confident that with this action, Steve Jobs has created a great business school case study that will be used for many years to come.
We all know what happened: a few months ago Apple released the iPod phone for $599. The price was high, but they were confident and their good story of saying it was both a phone and iPod all-in-one supposedly made the price a smart move. Fast forward to now: they cut the price by $200 and, in so doing, they make everyone who bought an iPhone out to be a fool for paying $200 more. Apple responded in its wonderful, arrrogant way only after an outpouring of complaints by granting their customers a $100 in-store credit.
In this simple action, Apple and Steve Jobs demonstrated a complete lack of pricing integrity. This is a great example as to why it is essential to establish a price and stick to it. The action by Apple tells their customer base that the next time they come out with anything new, wait and buy it after they do a price reduction. This action also undermines the confidence of their employeess. Finally, the action harms the price / value relationship that the company has worked so hard to establish.
I can’t think of a better example of why it’s so important to have pricing integrity. I’m also very confident that with this action, Steve Jobs has created a great business school case study that will be used for many years to come.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Sales Training Tip #199: Network with Linkedin.com
Have you heard of the website, Linkedin.com? If you're not already using it as a networking tool, do it today. A simple tip in using it is to set aside 30 minutes each week to add contacts, etc. Keep in mind that Linkedin is a long-term networking tool. Do not expect it to have an immediate payout in terms of new customers.
Professional Selling Skills Training: "29 Sales Territory Questions"
Are you trying to create or further establish a sales territory? The information found in Mark’s article, “29 Sales Territory Questions”, is designed to help you implement an effective sales development program. These powerful questions are based on consultative selling principles. Follow the link below to access this important information as found on our website.
"29 Sales Territory Questions"
"29 Sales Territory Questions"
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Sales Training Tip #200: 3-Step Sales Process
I'm always amazed at how people want to complicate the sales process. This past week I was asked by a new sales person what it takes and I replied:
1. Uncover pain
2. Evoke confidence
3. Close the sale
It's that simple. Ask questions that get the customer to reveal their pain. At the same time, ensure that the customer gains confidence that you can help alleviate that pain. Once you have done these two things, it becomes very simple to close the sale.
Nothing complex here at all. The challenge is in taking the time to develop the right questions that will help the customer see and feel their pain.
1. Uncover pain
2. Evoke confidence
3. Close the sale
It's that simple. Ask questions that get the customer to reveal their pain. At the same time, ensure that the customer gains confidence that you can help alleviate that pain. Once you have done these two things, it becomes very simple to close the sale.
Nothing complex here at all. The challenge is in taking the time to develop the right questions that will help the customer see and feel their pain.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Sales Training Tip #198: Know Your MLB
You may not follow Major League Baseball, but many of your customers and prospects do. At this time of year, make sure to stay up on who's in the playoff hunt. You don't want to get cut short by not knowing that your customer's favorite team is close to winning their division.
Sales Training Tip #197: Referrals Go Both Ways
Go out of your way to refer some of your best customers to people you know. Better yet, get in the habit of making at least one referral each week. Your customers will appreciate the support!
Sales Training Tip #196: Using Time To Your Advantage
Time is the greatest negotiating tool. When giving a proposal, state half of the time you had planned to offer. For example, by offering one week instead of two, it increases the sense of urgency.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
A Question Recently Posed to "The Sales Hunter"
"How can I create a sense of urgency and need for my product?”
Your best way to create a sense of need is by tying the element of time to it. You can do this in a couple of ways. First, offer an incentive to buy now. Don't lower your price, but offer an additional something if they chose to buy now. Second, create a sense of lost benefit if the person does not buy now from you. Ask them what they expect to get from buying from you so they will begin to acknowledge the pain they have. When they do, you can then begin to draw it out more by asking them more questions about it. The whole idea is to allow them to see how their pain will go away and they will be much better off if they buy from you now. Build on this further by helping them realize that if they don't buy from you now, their own personal cost will be higher since they'll have to live with the pain for even longer.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Your best way to create a sense of need is by tying the element of time to it. You can do this in a couple of ways. First, offer an incentive to buy now. Don't lower your price, but offer an additional something if they chose to buy now. Second, create a sense of lost benefit if the person does not buy now from you. Ask them what they expect to get from buying from you so they will begin to acknowledge the pain they have. When they do, you can then begin to draw it out more by asking them more questions about it. The whole idea is to allow them to see how their pain will go away and they will be much better off if they buy from you now. Build on this further by helping them realize that if they don't buy from you now, their own personal cost will be higher since they'll have to live with the pain for even longer.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Professional Selling Skills Training: The Power of Your Network
Long-term success does not come from one-time, single-shot sales. Long-term success in sales comes from what you do day in and day out and is impacted in a huge way by who you associate with. I've recently spent time with several different sales people and I've been amazed at how each of them view success and how they determine their goals. In each case, their frame of reference had a direct correlation on who they network with and the frame of reference the other people had. I hate to say it, but narrow-minded people have narrow-minded goals. Big thinkers have big goals.
I'm fortunate enough to have two kids (or I should say young adults as they are both in college). When they were little kids, we always monitored their friendships. As parents, this is natural because we wanted our kids to not be hanging out with others who were bent on causing trouble. In the same way, adults have to monitor who we allow ourselves to be influenced by. Is their any wonder why successful people associate with successful people?
A challenge I push myself to do is to ensure my network, my friends, and the people I come in contact with are big thinkers with big goals. The last thing I want to do is to be bogged down by people who could negatively impact my goals, the quality of my thinking, and, ultimately, what I accomplish.
A final comment: I was just in a sales office where the entire sales team was having a blow-out month. It seemed as if everything they were touching was turning into a sale. In talking with them, they had a level of energy and drive that permeated every corner of their office and every corner of their brains. Great sales people were hanging out with great sales people.
Contact Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter" for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com.
I'm fortunate enough to have two kids (or I should say young adults as they are both in college). When they were little kids, we always monitored their friendships. As parents, this is natural because we wanted our kids to not be hanging out with others who were bent on causing trouble. In the same way, adults have to monitor who we allow ourselves to be influenced by. Is their any wonder why successful people associate with successful people?
A challenge I push myself to do is to ensure my network, my friends, and the people I come in contact with are big thinkers with big goals. The last thing I want to do is to be bogged down by people who could negatively impact my goals, the quality of my thinking, and, ultimately, what I accomplish.
A final comment: I was just in a sales office where the entire sales team was having a blow-out month. It seemed as if everything they were touching was turning into a sale. In talking with them, they had a level of energy and drive that permeated every corner of their office and every corner of their brains. Great sales people were hanging out with great sales people.
Contact Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter" for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Professional Selling Skills Training: Don't Leave Your Personality at Home
Selling is, without a doubt, the greatest profession there is. For people who are pumped, engaged, and intelligent, the potential is unlimited. What I find amazing is the number of people in sales who do not have personality, or, if they do, they leave it at home.
Unless you're harboring some strange tendencies or bizarre thinkings, there's no reason to not let your personality come through on the job. Let your personality come out and get to know people! It's amazing how much more business can be had when we allow our personal side to be exposed. However, I do have one word of caution. This is not a license to become egotistical, but to become full of others you come in contact with.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
Unless you're harboring some strange tendencies or bizarre thinkings, there's no reason to not let your personality come through on the job. Let your personality come out and get to know people! It's amazing how much more business can be had when we allow our personal side to be exposed. However, I do have one word of caution. This is not a license to become egotistical, but to become full of others you come in contact with.
Contact Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter for your next Conference or Sales Meeting. To see and hear Mark Hunter now visit www.TheSalesHunter.com
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