If you and your sales team desire increased sales, and want them without increasing call frequency, you only have one choice—excel at persuasive presentations!
Selling is simply determining other peoples’ problems and persuading them that you have the solution. Then, asking them to accept your solution—the close—it’s quite simple. Unfortunately, not enough salespeople understand the basics.
There are three key elements to persuasive presentations: have an arresting opening benefit statement; explain benefits with features; and ask for the business.
The opening benefit statement is a hook to catch your prospects’ interest. In reality, salespeople are saying, “Please give me a few minutes of your life.” If prospects see no potential value, why in the world would they want to give up valuable minutes of their lives?
Salespeople love to share features—about themselves, their company and about their product or service. But, prospects only care about how the salesperson’s offer can make their business better—that’s it! For every feature, (the logic), there also has to be a benefit (the emotion). Otherwise, your salespeople are just visiting for a cup of coffee rather than solving problems and selling.
Finally, ask for it. These are the three great words that will change the lives of any salesperson confident enough to use them. I continually wonder why so many salespeople are afraid to ask for the business. Are they afraid of being pushy? Can they not handle rejection?
Challenge your salespeople to a day of presenting in front of each other. Have them make at least two presentations in a day. If you want it to be powerful, have them complete feedback forms on each other.
Perhaps you’re now thinking, “That would be great but in what areas should they offer one another feedback?” I have a solution. Send a request (EdRigsbee@aol.com) for my 20-area feedback form and I’ll e-mail it to you. Type “Feedback Form” in the subject line of your e-mail request.
BY ED RIGSBEE, CSP
Ed Rigsbee, CSP, is the author of three business relationship books: PartnerShift—How to Profit from the Partnering Trend, Developing Strategic Alliances and the Art of Partnering. He has over 1,000 published articles to his credit and is a regular keynote presenter at corporate and trade association conferences across North America.
Rigsbee can be reached at 800-839-1520 or EdRigsbee@aol.com. For additional related information, visit his Partnering University Web Site at www.rigsbee.com.
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