Back to basics in the sales game

If I get the chance to meet and hear a sales guru, I jump at it. You can learn so much.

Clearly I met and learned a lot in my four days in Tokyo at a global entrepreneurs organisation conference earlier this month.

Jack Daley presented some straight-up, easy to implement sales ideas that he says will add 30% to your sales results (not a bad pitch – he had me in).

Great sales people ask questions and listen (on average the best sales people will ask six times more questions that a good sales person – that could be 60 questions in one sales visit). The person who asks the questions is in control.

The first thing a sales person has to do is to stop selling – no one wants to be sold to (Daley had the nice phrase that many sales people show up and throw up). Speaking brochures don’t work. It is as simple as helping your customers make more money (or achieve the results they want).

Never quote a price until you’ve established value. Creating perceived value is the game. Having them want what you’ve got without having any discussion on price keeps you at the source of the relationship.

Daley noted that most times now the first impression is way before you ever meet in person. He said most people meet you for the first time on voicemail (or email). How does your voicemail sound? Do you change the message every day? Do you stand up when you make the message –being truly delighted when you’re making the message? Letting your personality shine, even making a joke?

Daley was fascinated by every touch point – especially after a sale is made. The follow up, he says, is the major source of your next business. Sending a thank you card or relevant info is also very powerful for ongoing referrals.

So here are Daley’s 13 sales tips:

1. Be unique – from reception to voice mail.
2. Never make a call without a purpose.
3. Ask questions and listen.
4. Selling is the transfer of trust.
5. Never quote price until you establish value.
6. Goals not in writing are dreams.
7. People like to buy, not be sold. Help them buy.
8. Trust trumps price all day long.
9. Things that get measured get done.
10. The best sales people are prepared. Don’t wing it.
11. Model the masters. Learn from the best.
12. People are different. Sell accordingly.
13. We are what we think we are. Raise the bar.

There is more info on his website.

Daley said a lot more in the three hour session… so much in fact it was hard to keep up.

One big take away was “Just be yourself in the sales game…make friends – we all like to do business with people we like.”

Selling is about the transfer of trust. And that is also what friendship is made of.

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