by Mike Brunel | Dec 5, 2022 | Sales, Strategy
80%……….Of all sales made after the fifth call
48%……….Of all salespeople, call once and quit
25%……….Call twice and quit
10%……….Keep on calling
These statistics are close to the mark in all selling forms, be it a service or product you sell.
I think that we all know…
SALES DON’T JUST HAPPEN.
I have created a diagram to illustrate the real-time that your buyer is available to sell to.
Just email me at mikebrunel.com for a copy.
Why do many salespeople thrive when others do not? Here are some ongoing practices I observe every day.
1. Always add to your pipeline.
Not continuously adding to your pipeline is often a mistake that salespeople make once they have established a solid ongoing sales funnel. If you continue to add to your sales pipeline, then if that long-established client decides that this month they will not buy this, then it does not matter because you have more potential opportunities in your pipeline.
If you are always taking the position of helping and assisting your client, then your pipeline will increase. If you are only filling up your pipeline when you are desperate, many clients will sense that, and you will come across as desperate.
2. Never assume they need you.
I have noticed that many salespeople leave a message with a client or a voicemail, and they think it ends there. They think they have done what they had to and then move on. Depending on your relationship with that client, they may or may not call you back. If you want to do business with them, you have to plan that call and decide the ongoing strategy to get the person to respond. Create a proactive message for them to call you back.
3. Sales potty training.
For those that may have had young children, there was a time when you had to train them to go to the toilet. In my experience (a while ago), I always used to say, “Pee or get off the pot”. In other words, make a decision. There will be times when you have to make a decision to get off the pot.
Some clients need to be let go. You need to figure out whether a prospect is serious about working with you. A promising pipeline is full of qualified prospects, not “tyre kickers.”
All pipeline activities have to support your key messages, and understanding who your client is and where they play is vital to successful sales.
Good selling
Mike
PLUS: Whenever you’re ready…
Here are 3 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.
1. Try the new 7 Days to Sales Success Framework.
Make More Sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by increasing sales.
2. Join our Private Facebook Group – The Salesmindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas.
Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here.
3. Work with me One-on-One.
If you’re a small or large business owner or in professional services, you might have a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute Brainstorm call with me by click here.
by Mike Brunel | Oct 31, 2022 | Strategy
In our blog last week, we talked about keeping the client talking and asking questions that opened up a conversation.
Are you Asking Open-Ended Questions?
One way to do this is to ask open-ended questions. What are open-ended questions?
Definition: Open-ended questions are ones that require more than one-word answers. The answers could come in a list, a few sentences, a clarification, or more information about a need.
Asking questions that require more than a Yes or No Answer. Here are some open-ended questions: Ask these this way and see what happens.
Q: What do you expect from your salesperson?
Q: When they answer, ask them to be more specific. Q: Or ask this question.
Q: If you could describe what you wanted, how would you do that?
Q: How did you go about purchasing your last product like this one?
Q: What is the matter with the current product you have?
Q: Can you tell me what you are specifically looking for?
Q: Do you like red, pink, or blue in that product?
Q: Would you like it delivered to you on Monday or Thursday?
Q: Why do you like that pink colour?
Every question here requires more than a No or a Yes. This is why open-ended questions require lengthier responses than close-ended questions. They also allow you to move away from a simple price negotiation.
If you can train yourself to ask more questions and your client is talking, it gives you time to look for clues. Clues are problems; problems require a solution.
Next week we look at some great advice on practice.
Have a great week selling your stuff.
Mike
Have a great week, and talk soon.
PLUS, whenever you are ready…here are ways I can help you grow YOUR business.
1. Join my free Facebook group
My favourite thing is to show you what’s working right now. It’s not as good as being a client, but it’s close.
2. Take advantage of a FREE 45-minute consultation
Need some sales support? Please make an appointment, and let me take you through the past, present, and future templates.
3. Work with me one-on-one.
If you want to take your product or service from face-to-face to virtual selling, then I have a product that may be able to help you. You can get started for as little as $250 a month. If you’re interested, email mike@mikebrunel.com and put ‘Virtual Selling’ in the subject line…tell me a little about your business, and I’ll get you all the details.
by Mike Brunel | Oct 17, 2022 | Strategy, Uncategorized
Keep your clients talking
The Right Questions
Over the last two weeks, the theme of my blogs has been questioned. The ones we ask ourselves and the ones we ask others.
Many people struggle with sales because they think selling means using the tricks and techniques that slick salespeople use.
However, we make little progress until we figure out what the client is thinking.
This was certainly true in my business. Once we stopped selling our stuff upfront, things got a lot easier. We had to work hard to construct the right questions to ask, but the process flowed after that.
Keep ’Em Talking
If you want to discuss with someone about a service you offer or a product you sell, isn’t it better to ask questions that keep the exchange flowing? Wouldn’t you agree?
Questions change the progression of a sale. They move it forward to a conclusion. One of my mentors, Brian Duffy, used to drum it into me repeatedly. “If the client is talking, the sale is moving forward,” he’d say. “If you don’t shut up, it isn’t!”
How do you ask the right questions?
In my book, I explain the difference between “Can I help you” and “Open them up for a discussion” questions. Some people refer to them as closed-ended and open-ended questions. By analysing the distinction, you will see why you might lose clients.
“Can I Help You” or Closed-Ended Questions
Definition: If you can answer a question with only a “yes” or “no” response, you are answering a close-ended type of
question. Examples of close-ended questions are:
• Can I help you?
• Is that your final answer?
• Should I call her and sort things out?
• Can I help you with that?
• Would you like to go to the movies tonight?
• Is science your favourite subject?
• Are you interested?
• Are you happy with your purchase options?
• Are you just looking?
• Hi.
• Just let me know if you need anything.
Unfortunately, these questions often shut down the conversation. There are exceptions, but closed-ended questions don’t allow you to uncover your customer’s concerns.
In my next blog, I will talk about Open-ended questions designed to open up the conversation. and allow you to find out your client’s problems much faster.
Have a great week, and talk soon.
PLUS, whenever you are ready…here are ways I can help you grow YOUR business.
1. Join my free Facebook group
My favourite thing is to show you what’s working right now. It’s not as good as being a client, but it’s close.
2. Take advantage of a FREE 45-minute consultation
Need some sales support? Make an appointment, and let me take you through the past, present, and future templates.
3. Work with me one-on-one.
If you want to take your product or service from face-to-face to virtual selling, then I have a product that may be able to help you. You can get started for as little as $250 a month. If you’re interested, email mike@mikebrunel.com and put ‘Virtual Selling’ in the subject line…tell me a little about your business, and I’ll get you all the details.
by Mike Brunel | Oct 3, 2022 | Sales, Strategy
Photo – Austin Kleon- Steal like an Artist
“Are Sales contingent upon the attitude of the salesperson? Or the attitude of the prospect”
I get to hear good stories from all over the world about how salespeople make a difference in people’s lives.
In many situations, businesses worldwide are feeling (according to them) the pressure of not getting their numbers, the market is tough, it is not like it used to be, people are simply not buying like they used to, and the excuses seem to go on and on.
I want to debunk that; it simply is not true. I know that if you offer value and are committed to your customers, they will buy from you.
Money is still there.
The truth is that the money is always there, it may be less for some, but it is always there; it just moves around. It might move from your business to another, but the facts are that retail revenue is up in countries like NZ and Australia.
It might move from your business to another, but the facts are that retail revenue is up in countries like NZ and Australia.
The thing is that businesses have to do things differently; they need to think about how their clients are purchasing their products.
I can guarantee that in most homes these days, television and other media are not the main sources of entertainment or information.
The internet has become a big part of our lives.
Clients do research your product along with your competitors before they even venture into your store or place of business.
Information is Power.
Many business owners I have worked with worldwide have come to terms with a changing market.
The ones I notice that are doing well train their staff regularly, keep them up to date with all the new products or services, and help them make the decisions; this is usually done at least once a week.
In any business, product knowledge is based upon attitude; what happens if you visit a store and a staff member does not know their product?
You lose confidence, unsure if they are to be trusted, and you might retreat and go off to someone else.
Want a secret to more Sales?
Product knowledge and information about a product have an invisible benefit. It gives the salesperson the “right attitude” it rubs off. They get confident, and the clients feel that confidence.
Try these simple exercises that work.
Here are two exercises you can do in your business to get your team to buy into product knowledge training.
- POP QUIZ- write up 10 benefits of your most popular products, and list what you think is the #1 benefit for the customer if they buy this product.
- TEST ONE ON ONE, OR IN A TEAM MEETING – Give each of your staff a test on every one of those products. You can do it in written form or as part of their one-on-one meeting.
These simple tests can give your business a foot up, and you might get an extra share of the money.
Have a great day selling your stuff.
Mike
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
Here are 4 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.
1. Want to become a Sales Mindset Blueprint Member? You get access to an exclusive coaching session with me and full access to my sales programme every month. Get the deets here.
2. Try the new ‘7 Days to Sales Success’ framework. Make more sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
3. Join our private Facebook group – The Sales Mindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas. Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here
4. Work with me one-on-one. If you’re a business owner, small or large or in professional services, you might just be a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
Good Selling
“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesperson, not the attitude of the prospect” –William Clement Stone.
by Mike Brunel | Sep 26, 2022 | Negotiation, Strategy
Do you know the difference between a small sale and a large Sale
An excellent book that I have tucked away in my library is called Spin Selling by Neil Rackman.
In Neil’s book, he maintains that there is a difference between a small sale and a large sale and different philosophies are used for both. I consult with a lot of commission-based salespeople, including real estate agents and media salespeople. Many of their transactions are large. Knowing the difference between a big sale and not so big sale is handy to know for these salespeople.
If you are able to know the difference between a large sale and a small sale you might just be able to save a lot of time when you go to prospect.
So what is the difference?
How does that relate to your long-term success?
If you can grasp this idea you will be able to avoid all those frustrating “no calls” you keep making and begin to focus on the calls that do matter.
The general rule for small sales is the one from Neil’s book.
He is sitting in an airport waiting for a connecting flight; he was browsing in a store and spotted one of those multipurpose knives, like the Swiss Army knife, the price of $15.
Within 2 seconds of seeing it, he bought it and his immediate need was satisfied. To him, it was what I call a no-decision decision.
Now, what about a bigger sale? Let’s take another scenario, you are meeting your client for the first time, and potentially that client could invest with you several thousand dollars worth of products or services.
Are you going to get him or her to buy on the first call?
The best way to approach the larger sale is to expect that it may take a little longer. They simply have different needs than smaller sales.
Here a sure-fire way to make sure that you do know the difference:
- A larger sale will contain more than one decision maker
- A larger sale involves asking more specific questions about their problems and moving them up to solutions.
- Larger clients tend to take a more rational approach to decision-making than smaller clients.
Do this on a regular basis and monitor what are your small sales and your larger sales.
One action you can take straight away is to write down all your larger clients based on spend and see if this does stack up against the criteria above.
List all your larger clients in a notebook and begin to ask questions to discover their needs over time.
Have great fun selling your stuff.
Mike
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
Here are 4 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.
1. Want to become a Sales Mindset Blueprint Member? Every month you get access to an exclusive coaching session with me as well as full access to my sales programme. Get the deets here.
2. Try the new ‘7 Days to Sales Success’ framework. Make more sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to get started in making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
3. Join our private Facebook group – The Sales Mindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas. Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here
4. Work with me one-on-one.If you’re a business owner, small or large or in professional services you might just be a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
Good Selling
by Mike Brunel | Sep 12, 2022 | Strategy
When I came into media, my main challenge was to sell something invisible. I learned that people buy ideas more than things. They buy concepts, promotions, and methods for getting people into their stores.
In the early 90s, the media industry in New Zealand was entering deregulation. The government had decided to “open up the airwaves” and issue new opportunities for starting radio/media companies. Doug Gold, the original owner of More FM (now Mediaworks) recognized an opening when he saw one. He obtained several licenses to operate new radio stations in cities and towns all over the country.
Culture First- The Rest Follows.
Doug had created an amazing culture and fun way of doing business at media companies he had previously managed. Once word got around that he was starting a new venture, former staff flocked to be on the journey with him. Some would not receive any income for several months, but they trusted him and believed his latest project would be special.
The challenge for the new media enterprise was that they would be working in one of the most competitive categories in the world. Media bleeds money like a wounded bull, and it is riddled with failures, obnoxious personalities, and owners with huge egos.
Doug’s personality, on the other hand, was just the opposite. He had courage, belief, and an unbending single-mindedness; the usual hurdles would not present a problem for him.
Starting on an unusual note, Doug launched his new company with a product called The Gold Key program. When Doug had researched the best way to enter the advertising market, he sought advice from hundreds of clients.
Needs Matter
He asked questions about everything. He asked what they wanted in their advertising, examined their paths in sales and marketing and observed their needs.
He knew it would be much easier—and less daunting—to ask for someone’s business if he already knew what that prospective customer needed. He was involved in every aspect of the business, down to the formatting of his stations’ programmes.
One of the insights Doug gained from his research was that his advertising clients were sick of just buying “spots and dots.” They wanted to belong to a group, a modern-day tribe of sorts.
Doug also discovered that clients needed to advertise and promote themselves continually. Constant exposure paid off and made advertising more affordable to small-to-medium companies. Many big companies already supported their products and services this way, and it worked well.
They were the big guys, though; they could afford it; with their resources, they could simply outshout anyone else’s marketing. Now even the little guy could compete.
When it has gone, it’s gone.
Most media companies generate their income through advertising. It’s their inventory, just like all the stock in a retail store. The only difference is if that “inventory” is not sold that minute, hour, or day, then the opportunity at that moment is gone forever. Once the advertisement due to be sold at midday is NOT sold, it’s gone. The use-by date has expired.
The American Express of Media
Doug understood his clients and the market, so he created a membership program. He asked his clients to commit to him for twelve months. Each advertiser would receive a monthly allocation of commercials; in return, they received benefits like travel deals, access to unsold airtime, and upgrades to better commercial times. While perks like this are common today, they were a novelty in media back then.
What is often referred to as “one-to-many” selling works best in a seminar situation. Every client attending Doug’s seminar received valuable information on advertising and promoting their business.
Any advertiser who agreed to membership also earned a free chance at winning a brand-new BMW. This was unheard of at the time. It was mind-blowing, really, and took the market by storm.
In year one, Doug and his amazing team sold $1.2 million in revenue before they even opened the media company and before one song was played. In today’s dollars, that would be around $4.6 million. What sold it?
Creating a Selling System.
The key was a combination of belief, systems, a great team, and innovation. Doug generated hundreds of memberships and improved his already stellar reputation.
Over several years, Doug’s product became known as the Image Plus program. With my other founding partner, Brian Duffy, driving the helm and me writing all the sales manuals and implementing the training programmes, we then took on the world.
These days, one product is part of a suite that my old company NRS Media (Since sold), sells to over 400 media companies in twenty-three countries, in eleven languages. In the past 25 years, the Image Plus program has generated over $1 billion in annual revenue for its clients.
The start of something special. These days you would have called it a start-up. The only difference is that over the next 20 years, NRS Media never borrowed a cent, zip, or zero. All self-funding by its owners.
An idea is tested, refined, and then proved.
Why did it sell? The market was ready for it. The media companies’ advertisers wanted to buy it, and in the end, 150,0,000 of them bought it every year for 15 years.
And now there is more to come, something new for media companies.
Keep you posted.
Mike
PLUS: WHENEVER YOU’RE READY…
Here are 3 ways I can help you make more sales in your business – whether your business is big or small.
1. Try the new 7 Days to Sales Success Framework.
Make More Sales in 7 days. The framework of everything you need to start making more sales in your business. The Sales Success Framework is based on a simple 7-day challenge. Click here to find out how you can grow your business by making more sales.
2. Join our Private Facebook Group – The Salesmindset Inner Circle. Get all the latest up-to-date sales ideas.
Every week we do Facebook Live updates on all things sales. Tips, ideas, free coaching, and much more. Join me by clicking here.
3. Work with me One-on-One.
If you’re a business owner, small or large or in professional services, you might just be a few strategies, tactics and tools away from doubling your lead flow, revenue and impact. Jump on a FREE 15-minute Brainstorm call with me by clicking here.
