Team Alpha 375

5 Tips for a Simpler Selling Process
By Andy Horner, The Ace of Sales Wizard of Ahh's

My garage is a disaster! Boxes of junk are stacked to the ceiling full of old toys and entangled tools. I can't find what I need, when I need it. I have no process! Rather a feeble attempt to shuffle stuff around or clear off a worktable to find room. I need a new system. If I had a system in place: tools would be organized on shelves, a roll-up caddy would hold my garden hose, wall hooks would make it easier to grab a bicycle or weed-eater. But I don't, instead I look at it feel overwhelmed, and walk away.

Many people have the same struggle with their sales process. They have plenty of contacts piled up without organization or automation. The lack of an efficient follow-up impacts their ability to successfully build customer relationships.

Jeffrey Gitomer's new Ace of Sales program is designed to provide you with a process for making sales. No, we're not talking about complex data analytics or granular metrics. It helps you interact with your contacts in a fun and easy way, differentiating you from your competition. In other words it takes that messy garage and cleans it up for you without the sweat and frustration of not knowing where to put everything and how to keep it organized.

Below are the five major weaknesses salespeople face plus a few tactics Ace of Sales customer's are using to build loyalty and making lasting impressions.

1. Attract Rather than Cold Call - Cold calling is often a door slamming interruption that blows your chance to build a relationship, the way it was meant to be built - over time. Email, ezine, and postcard mailings are the customized tools connecting you with your customers. Twitter, Facebook, and blogs are your every day information channels to share your daily tips and build current relationships, while attracting new customers. These are the channels to build your name and most of all spread your message, people will look to your postings for advice instead of you pleading to get past the gatekeeper.

2. Setting the Appointment - Prospects respond when you stand out. Differentiate yourself in a unique way by sending personalized cards and emails; include pictures that will catch their attention and connect with them on an emotional level. For example Jim sent an image of image of his newborn baby with the quote, "My daddy would like to meet with you." You have made the prospect smile and stood out from your competition.

3. Engage the Prospect with a Value Message - After the first meeting salespeople send a proposal and wait. After hearing nothing, they call, and leave a voicemail asking “have you received my proposal yet?” If you follow Jeffrey's advice, you'll come out of the first meeting having identified your prospect's buying motives. To engage the customer and give value send an email with a picture of a light bulb saying, "Here's an idea..." In the body of the email, give two of the three ideas describing how you can help them and close with a time and place to meet for you to share your third BIG idea.

4. Following Up Creatively - Doing something unusual, unexpected, or humorous prompts response! After meeting with your customer send a follow up greeting card with a picture from your outing and a gift card that relates to a personal interest you both share. This takes an ordinary card and turns it into something extraordinary, treasured and sitting out on their desk. And next time they go to their favorite spot and use your gift card they will be thinking of you.

5. Staying in Touch with Existing Customers and Prospects - Send out a value message every week with information that your customers want to hear: knowledge that can help them grow their business, or tips about getting the best out of their product/service they buy from you. By publishing a weekly ezine you can include this information along with success stories about your customers, video testimonials, and product updates. Make staying in touch fun, exciting, and something everyone looks forward to each week.