Module 10
Section 4 – Generating Sales with your Cash
Machine
As you work through my program you are gathering skills and resources that will
translate into limitless financial resources for many years to come. We’ve gone
from the very beginning of discovering the perfect Cash Machine for you, all the
way through to getting a strong marketing strategy in place.
Up to this point, you have the foundation laid to build success, but there is still a
key element for this whole program to start putting new money in your pocket –
asking for the cash!
Ask for the Cash
In the past few modules, you’ve set up the foundation you need for long-term
success in your business. You’ve identified your skills, you’ve found the model
companies, you’ve created a model of your products or services, and you’ve
established how you’re generating interest. When all the preparation is done and
your tools are in place, you must be ready to start cashing in – and that requires
your willingness to actually ask for the money.
So many people are used to giving their talents and abilities away for nothing.
Not only is there no cash exchanged, but there are no referrals, no barter trade,
and no new leads created – it’s like you don’t think your time or ability is worth
something in exchange.
Now that is not to say that donating your time and abilities to worthy causes is
completely out of the question, but even those opportunities can yield value for
your business. You may not get cash in your hand, but you may get exposure to
your product or service, a chance to talk about your company with people you
would never have met, and even a new list of potential clients.
Cashing in on your Cash Machine will always mean getting to the money – but
getting to the money can take several different paths. It’s up to you to keep your
eye on the prize. If you’re not crystal clear how this strategy, action, or
opportunity will lead to more cash in your pocket, don’t waste your time.
At this stage of the process, the goal is new cash in your pocket as soon as
possible – and nothing else.
From this point forward, your success will be determined by how often you ask
for the cash.
As I have stated many times in this workbook, there is nothing more important
than standing eye to eye with your customers and closing the deal – asking for
the money. Your conversations with your potential customers should focus on
generating leads and making sales for your Cash Machine. You’re not there just
for fun and company.
You have to reach the point where you are so confident in the value and quality
of your product or service that you actually feel you’re doing someone a favor by
making the offer and letting them pay for it. Remember, without your product or
service, their life is not as good as it could be. It’s time to LET them pay you for
the chance to improve their life.
As you move through this critical part of the process you’re going to learn about
something called your “Talk Track.” This is the unique sales conversation you
have with potential customers that quickly and effectively explains your business,
the value it creates, and the introductory offer. This Talk Track is your most
powerful form of marketing and will determine every other marketing strategy you
may do.
This section will cover many specific tactics that you can use to perfect your “Talk
Track,” finalize the sale, and lead customers on through your product funnel.
The stronger your commitment to perfecting this tool, the faster you will make
more money, reach your financial goals, and have the freedom you have always
wanted. It really is that simple!
Your Talk Track is the key to effectively ask for the cash, so let’s get this done!
Developing Your Sales Skills
Making the sale and collecting the cash is the end objective of all your marketing
efforts. Collecting a payment is the fulfillment of the promise made to the
customer through marketing. You told them about the product/service, they
followed your call to action, and now they are paying you to receive it.
If the customer finds your Cash Machine, it means your marketing efforts have
been successful – the time and energy you spent to build awareness is paying
off. They agree with your marketing that points out a need in their life and they
want you to take care of it. You then meet the needs of your customer by selling
the products and services offered by your Cash Machine as promised in your
marketing.
Sales drive your revenue, profits, and potential growth. As the leader of your
company you are always on the front line selling, getting the word out, creating
interest, and building your database. You can become proficient at selling all of
your products and services, and practice is an essential part of becoming
successful.
Despite what you may have heard in the past, being a great salesperson is a
learned skill – you don’t have to be born a “natural salesperson” to be successful.
By creating and following a strict system of finding prospects, setting
appointments, and having conversations about your business – you will create
more cash for your business, greater success, and a strong foundation to grow
from.
The biggest mistake that most entrepreneurs make is that they simply fail to take
action for a variety of reasons. Throughout this module, we will discuss how to
get past the fear and mystery around sales. Since it is completely possible to
learn to be a great sales person, the next few pages will cover the tips and tricks
for cracking the code. Pay close attention and notice the things you already do
well, and the areas you will need to work on.
Selling is Simply Enrolling
In marketing the aim is to create awareness of a need, but in sales the aim is to
fulfill the customer’s needs with your product or service. As such, marketing and
sales go hand in hand. Your marketing message opens the door for your sales
Talk Track and the opportunity to close the deal. Without a marketing strategy
your sales efforts are flying blind with no foundation to build on; and without the
sales process, your marketing efforts are simply a waste of time and money.
So at the core, the sales process takes the efforts of your marketing and bridges
the gap between the need you identified and the expectations of the customer.
The best sales people understand their customers’ needs and are able to engage
in a productive relationship by solving a problem.
When you understand what the customer really wants and how you can fulfill that
need, you can enroll the customer in your product or service and start moving
them through your product funnel. The best sales transaction is when the
customer feels good about their decision to buy what you are offering. The
concept of “buyer’s remorse” happens when a sales person stops providing
solutions to the customer’s needs and starts manipulating the situation.
If you enroll the customer in making their life easier through your product or
service, you take the traditional perception of sales out of the equation – now
you’re a trusted friend with a solution to a problem. The sales process then
becomes about helping people make a decision and feel good about the
transaction that just took place – it’s honest, trustworthy, and long-term.
There is a “Right Way” and a “Wrong Way” to make a sale. One will result in
happy customers who refer new business, return often for your services, and
confidently pay you for your product; the other results in bad word of mouth,
working hard to stay afloat, and potential legal troubles.
To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here are some examples:
The Wrong Way – Overselling The Right Way – Enrolling
You engage a potential customer,
attempting to control the relationship
and push a sale on a client
immediately. Ignoring what they are
saying and focusing only on your
desire to “close the deal.”
You engage a potential customer by
asking targeted questions, identifying
their needs and how your product or
service would meet their needs.
Gradually lead them into how to use
your service and provide a solution.
You attempt to make the decisions for
your client, deciding on the product or
service you will sell them prior to even
speaking with the customer.
You lead a conversation where the
client’s natural course of action will be
to learn more about a particular product
or service you offer.
You are completely driven by the
number of sales you must complete
within a day.
You are committed to providing a
valuable service to as many people as
possible.
Sell Yourself
You have probably realized by now that you are as much of the product you’re
selling as the actual product or service you’re offering. Often time, your sales will
be successful regardless of what you’re offering simply because your customer
trusts you. This means you’re selling yourself as much as you are selling your
product.
People are inspired to take action by emotion more than logic. Sure, there are
people who make decisions based solely on pure logic, but the vast majority of
people make a decision based on emotion, or a feeling. In your marketing you
are looking to evoke an emotional response to your message, and in sales, you
are closing the deal through that emotional window. They can feel it and they can
see it.
As you sell yourself, you’re creating the awareness among your customers that
you are a trustworthy and reliable expert who can provide a solution to their
need. The first step of selling yourself is presenting your product with confidence.
We all recognize it as confidence when we see it. Confident people look you in
the eye, answer directly, and put all their cards on the table. The same is true
with products. A confident product has nothing to hide – there’s no fine print, no
tricky language, and no hoops to jump through. Everything is out in the open.
Taking pride and ownership in the product you are selling is a way of showing
confidence in yourself and inspiring your customer to take action. Your clients
should feel your products are credible from the very beginning.
Be confident in the sales pursuit. That may seem easier said than done. But
there is an old saying that applies here. If you’re feeling less-than confident at
this stage of the process then simply, “Fake it till you make it.” Acting confident
leads to being confident. You’ll be surprised to find that yesterday you were
faking confidence and today, amazingly, you’re actually feeling confident. The
shift happens instantly so be ready for it. Acting confident means speaking
clearly about your product, answering questions directly, and looking people in
the eyes. Confidence does not mean boastfulness, arrogance or cockiness. It
really is a genuine belief than you transmit to your customer and as a result, your
customer sees and feels that belief.
This is about believing in you and your product. Act like you believe in yourself
and others will too. Something as simple as standing up straight with your arms
at your side and looking someone directly in the eyes can be all it takes to gain
someone’s trust and build confidence. Selling yourself is as much believing in
your ability to be successful as it is in making someone else believe it.
Of course, you also need to believe in the product or service – that what you are
selling will truly bring value to your customer. When you are confident about this,
it is easier to sell. You don’t have to focus on yourself and your needs, but focus
on what you are providing for others. With that sense of service comes
confidence.
This is why we spent so much time in identifying your skill set and developing a
strong product model in previous modules. Given your hard work, there is no
reason to doubt that not only can you provide a quality product or service, but
you can easily convince others of the value.
Sell Your Prospect
Make a genuine effort to know your customers. Understand the details and
concerns of the people to whom you are selling.
Create credibility. It sells products. It is important for your prospects to get a
sense of who you are as a person first. Be true to yourself and then credentials
will become less important.
Have an open, accepting posture. Allow people to know and understand who you
are. Sales come easier with trust and rapport. Invest time in developing active
relationships with your customer.
Selling is about listening. It is about asking questions and having an interactive
conversation. By having an in-depth understanding of your target consumer and
understanding their perspective, you can better scale what you are selling to
meet their needs.
ACTION STEP: Identify 3 questions you can ask your prospects to help
identify their needs.
Question #1:
________________________________________________________________
Question #2:
________________________________________________________________
Question #3:
________________________________________________________________
Sell Their Reality
Reality is a tricky thing, and it’s always in the eye of the beholder. Remember,
one man’s treasure is another man’s trash, so don’t assume you know what your
customer needs – just ask them.
A clear Talk Track with specific questions will guide your potential customer
down a path will reveal their needs. They will literally tell you exactly what it will
take for you to close the sale. They will share with you their perception of reality
and you will sell to them from that space.
For many people, their reality is that they don’t have enough time, money, or
expertise to accomplish the goals they have. It doesn’t matter if you agree with
them, it’s their reality. All you can do is acknowledge that they feel that way and
show how your product or service will solve some, if not all, of that concern.
Your goal is to show your potential customer where they are right now and find
out where they want to be. Show how your product or service will take them to
where they want to go. From that point, it’s as simple as pointing out how your
service or product will bridge the gap and get them where they want to be. In
many ways, your job is to take away some kind of “pain” or problem they are
experiencing and bring them the comfort of knowing they are now able to move
on to something else.
This means you have to know your target market and then address their
concerns. When you get the chance to engage with a customer you need to talk
with your customer, not at them. You’re not here to tell them what they need,
you’re here to listen to them tell you what they need. As soon as they open up to
you, that’s your chance to present your product or service as a solution. When
someone’s talking to you versus with you, it’s very annoying, if not patronizing.
You want to lead, not direct your customers, to make their own decision. That
means asking direct questions that will lead them to an obvious conclusion –
always letting them answer and never assuming the answer. If a customer feels
that you manipulated them through a sales process, they will not come back and
there may be resentment. The opportunity to try again later is substantially
reduced.
There is truth in the idea that you have two ears and one mouth. You should
listen twice as much as you talk. Ask an open ended question and allow your
customer to answer in their own words. The ability to listen is a technique you
must develop, and if you can master it, your customer will tell you exactly what
they need and what they want from you.
Relationships of trust are critical. In some ways, this is even more critical than
closing the deal. How you approach relationship-building in sales will also show
up in your results – not just in closing deals, but in customer referrals. The door
should always be open for a new customer to come in, as well as existing
customers to find their way to the next product in your funnel.You can always
gage the success of your sales relationships based on the simple observation,
“do I have returning customers?” and “are my customers referring me to their
friends and family?”
This same philosophy applies to presentations. There is FAR more value in
presenting to your audience rather than staring at your notes or at your
Powerpoint slides. During your presentation, focus on providing information.
Your prospects will appreciate the information you share. It’s an indication of how
you will treat them in the future. Customers will reward your commitment with
referrals or return engagements.
Overcoming the Fear of Sales
Many people are afraid of selling. This is because they don’t want to be seen as
pushy or forthright. But if you believe in what you are offering, that it is
something that will make the customer’s life better, you are not being pushy, you
are being helpful.
Remember that your job is to give a clear and compelling presentation. Find
people who are interested in learning more about your product or service and
then deliver an effective sales presentation.
Enroll your prospect into your vision of how they will benefit from your product or
service. Share success stories of people who have benefited from working with
you. Communicate a simple offer and make it easy for your prospect to say yes.
Practice, practice, practice and you will get more confident every day. Find
prospects, set appointments and deliver presentations. Your sales skills will
improve over time and you will become more confident and effective.
Action Step: Answering Your Own Doubts
As you start building your business, your biggest obstacle may be your own fear
of sales. Often, friends and family will add to this fear when they sense your own
doubt. They will ask questions which may increase your fears and create more
doubt.
Therefore, you must identify your fears and doubts immediately so they don’t
spread to the people around you or your customers. Doubt and fear are
contagious, so get rid of yours as soon as possible. This is the only way you can
overcome them and move forward!
Some examples of common fears and some action steps you can take to
overcome them:
Common Fears Response and Action Steps
My product or service is too expensive.
You have determined through research
of similar companies that they charge
this amount, and you have determined
this price through careful modeling.
Revisit your product model and data on
model companies if you are concerned
about price.
They’re going to say “No!” The more you talk to people, the more
you will be able to refine your
conversation and turn a “no” into a
“yes.”
Continue conversations with potential
clients on a daily basis.
They don’t want my product or service. Your model company is making money
on a daily basis by selling a very similar
experience.
Revisit your notes on model
companies.
Using the examples above, take a moment and identify 3 fears that you may
have about selling your product or talking with potential customers. Write them
down and then identify one action step you can take to help overcome that fear.
Fear #1:
________________________________________________________________
Action Step:
________________________________________________________________
Fear #2:
________________________________________________________________
Action Step:
________________________________________________________________
Fear #3:
________________________________________________________________
Action Step:
________________________________________________________________
What is a Talk Track?
Picture yourself standing in an elevator with someone you’ve never met. You
strike up a conversation with this person, quickly realizing that they are someone
that may be interested in your product or service. You have only a few seconds
to make an impression, gain their interest, and either get some contact
information or actually close a sale.
Do you know what you would say?
This is an exercise all of my coaching clients practice regularly in every one of
my programs. This is known as an “elevator speech,” which is a very short and
precise method of effectively generating interest in your business.
An “elevator speech” is a version of your Talk Track that capitalizes on the
opportunity to give a brief description of what you do and why someone would
benefit from your products or services. The challenge is to deliver this speech in
the time it takes you to ride an elevator from the bottom to the top floor, about 30
seconds.
Think of it as a script you can repeat on demand. It’s a core statement about your
business.
Your Talk Track is a clear set of ideas and comments that can be arranged in
any order to answer any question at any time. It’s everything there is to know
about your business.
The key to having a strong Talk Track is knowing your business inside and out.
Knowing the value and benefit it brings, knowing the market and industry it
relates to, and being able to expertly explain these things to other people when
the opportunity arises.
You will need to practice your Talk Track on a regular basis by talking about your
business, typically with others who can provide you with feedback like family
friends, and colleagues. This not only helps you establish your business identity,
but will make it easier for you to address new leads when they come into your
space.
A powerful Talk Track should include (or answer) the following:
The Question Your Answer
What are you selling? The service or product you provide.
What makes your product or service
stand out?
Your distinct advantage.
How do you service your customer? What you are going to do for them.
Who are you? Your business name or your name.
How do I get started? What do I do
next?
Your call to action. Are you seeking
contact information? Are you making
the sale?
Your Talk Track must clearly engage your audience while covering each
of these areas mentioned above. Clear and concise answers make sure
that you are using your time efficiently and giving potential clients what
they need to make a decision.
ACTION STEP: Create Your Talk Track
Think about what product or service your business provides. Review
your Cash Machine’s distinct advantages. Think about the type of people
who will buy your product or service.
It’s not important to include every single one of your distinctions in your
“Talk Track” but you will want to mention the most important distinction
early. One brief sentence is best to get the point across. But the
sentence must be compelling. The goal is to build interest and leave
your prospect wanting to learn more.
When someone asks you, “What do you do?” your Talk Track allows you
to give a quick answer that explains your purpose and gives people a
reason to ask a follow-up question. The follow-up conversation can
include the other benefits of hiring you or your business.
Most people do not like to be oversold. When talking in conversation,
less is more. Let the person you’re talking to ask for more information
rather than overloading them with details. If your first answer is clear and
compelling, the customer will ask for more. Enrollment is the key. It’s
important to enroll and engage potential customers in a conversation by
getting their attention with a quick teaser sentence.
Forms for this Action Step are available in the Education Center at
www.________________________.com.
Case Study Example: Jennifer and Todd H. (Senior Care and
Errand Business)
Their answers to the questions:
The Question Their Answer
What are you selling?
The comfort and security of being able to take
care of your errands, get to your appointments
on time, and have someone just a phone call
away whenever you need help.
What makes your product or
service stand out?
Years of experience combined with personalized
care for every customer.
How do you service your
customer?
Just ask us!
Who are you? Jennifer and Todd H. Senior Care
How do I get started? What do I
do next?
Register today for 50% off your first appointment!
Jennifer and Todd were fortunate to have a wide variety of services they could
provide. When they expanded into areas like yard service, they were able to
offer virtually any type of daily errand or professional service.
This made their business a one-stop shop where they were able to meet any
need. If they couldn’t answer, they would quickly utilize their resources to find a
model company or create a partnership to meet that need.
Jennifer and Todd’s Five Key Distinctions
1. Growing market that is in desperate need of services.
2. Todd’s nursing background.
3. Provides social activities.
4. Neighbor-to-neighbor referral discounts.
5. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Specific Talk Track points included:
• “You can still take care of your parents with our services even though you
live far away.”
• “Be active doing the things you want to do in retirement, not worrying
about maintenance that takes away from that.”
• “With our services and personal attention, you are able to stay in your
home for many years in an environment that you want to be in.”
Case Study Example: Nancy B. (Children’s Life Skills)
Her answers to the questions:
The Question Her Answer
What are you selling?
A fun and educational alternative to sitting with a
babysitter every afternoon.
What makes your product or
service stand out?
Skills that will last for a lifetime!
How do you service your
customer?
Afterschool services for children and evening
classes with children and parents.
Who are you? Afternoons with Nancy
How do I get started? What do I
do next?
Introductory information on the program, low-cost
classes with the parents, direct service.
The more research Nancy completed, the more surprised she became
that her children’s friends didn’t know much about cooking, cleaning, or
running a home. These were all things she learned to do as she grew
up and naturally passed on to her children.
She looked for competitors in the marketplace and found a local kids
chef academy business. The classes were expensive and focused on
teaching complex recipes. They also didn’t require that the kids clean up
afterwards. It seemed more like a theme park experience than an
example of reality.
Because of her hands on style, Nancy’s approach became more of a
360 degree experience that took place in an actual home environment.
She later converted part of her basement into a kitchen area suitable for
teaching. It also provided enough room for other activities.
Nancy decided to present a more realistic approach to household skills
at very reasonable prices. Her service was unique because she was
going to offer entertaining field trips. She would also find partners to offer
extracurricular activities such as karate and dance classes.
Nancy’s Five Key Distinctions
1. Personalized service, experienced service provider.
2. Creates real life experiences.
3. Simple skills that kids can take home and use immediately.
4. Insured and bonded.
5. Leadership and teamwork skills integrated with the modern family.
Specific Talk Track points included:
• “I am a domestic expert with ___ years experience and can teach your
kids how to be self sufficient too!”
• “Your children will go from simply being ‘watched’ to learning skills that
they’ll need for the rest of their life.”
• “We have the time to help prepare all the activities you want to do with
your kids and bring it to you!”
Case Study Example: Samantha W. (Event Planning)
Her answers to the questions:
The Question Her Answer
What are you selling? An event you will remember for years to come!
What makes your product or
service stand out?
Experience in all areas ranging from weddings,
graduations, or corporate world events.
How do you service your
customer?
Tips and tricks to help you finish the planning
yourself, or a full service package from concept
to execution.
Who are you? Your Dream Event
How do I get started? What do I
do next?
Call for a free meeting about your upcoming
event!
Samantha’s Five Key Distinctions
1. Experience in all types of events.
2. A huge portfolio of previous events (photos, audio, and video).
3. The ability to simply provide advice or upsell into full planning services.
4. Access to resources and partners to improve the event (bands, DJs, etc.).
5. Ongoing referral programs to help create cash for previous customers.
Specific Talk Track points included:
• “My business makes having parties and events fun and less
stressful and creates lasting memories for any event in your life
that is important to you and your family or company.”
• “We allow you to focus on enjoying your event rather than
stressing about it up to the very last minute.”
• “We have all the tools you need to create the perfect event with
just one phone call rather than hours of phone calls and online
research.”
Case Study Example: Joe O. (Online Marketing)
His answers to the questions:
The Question His Answer
What are you selling?
A complete online system designed to generate
interest in your business, improve relationships
with your existing customers, and track your
success down to each click!
What makes your product or
service stand out?
Turn-key solutions rather than complicated, long term
consulting relationships or project
management.
How do you service your
customer?
The creation of online brands.
Who are you? The Online Identity Solution
How do I get started? What do I
do next?
Call for a free consultation on how you can build
or improve your online business!
Joe’s Five Key Distinctions
1. Experience in web design, social media spaces, and business integration.
2. Understanding of both the business-side and client-side of online technology.
3. A growing library of classes, material, and content to teach technology.
4. Face-to-face consultation and service.
5. A clear project plan and roadmap from start to finish.
Specific Talk Track points included:
• “A complete online presence guiding clients from their first
conversation to sale.”
• “No need for extensive consulting, huge hidden fees, or
unrealistic promises.”
• “Strategies with clear goals and timelines.”
Setting Appointments
To get the cash, you need to meet on a daily basis with prospective customers.
The best way to do this is through the process of setting appointments. These
can take place either in person or over the phone – but you must be meeting with
people.
Taking the time to have a personal interaction will ensure that any questions or
concerns that come up are answered with your Talk Track. No matter how
effective your marketing strategies may be, they can’t answer every question. If
you sit back and just wait for the phone to ring, you’ll be missing out on huge
profits you might have had if you had only set some appointments and used your
Talk Track.
The simplest way to set an appointment is to pick up the phone, call your
prospect and ask them to meet with you. Remember, this meeting is about
THEM and the benefits they will get by spending their time with you – yes, you’re
even selling them on the value of meeting with you. Just as your time is
valuable, so is the time your prospective customer gives you, so respect it.
Just as you have a custom Talk Track for an elevator speech, you can develop a
Talk Track for setting an appointment. This ensures you’re effectively using your
time and getting to the information that is most interesting to your potential client.
As time goes on, setting appointments may become a task for a member of your
team – since you will have to train them how to do it, it’s best to become a master
of it yourself. This way, your time is completely focused on activities that
generate new interest and sales for your business.
ACTION STEP: Setting Your Appointment Talk Track
For different types of appointments, you will likely require a few different Talk
Tracks. It is best to come into these conversations prepared with a few key
statements you will use for each type of appointment.
Perhaps you are introducing a client to an introductory offer – there will be a Talk
Track for that. You may also be introducing a previous customer to a new
product or service – there will be a Talk Track for that. Each of these scenarios
should be approached with different Talk Tracks. These should be designed with
the focus of building interest, trust, and rapport.
Create a Talk Track for your introductory product or service offer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Create a Talk Track to reach out to previous customers and offer them a new
product or service.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Handling rejection
No one likes to face rejection, but it’s part of being in business. Not everyone will
say “yes!”
One of the most challenging aspects of business you will face is rejection. Even
after you have done everything right and followed my program to the letter, there
will be people who just say “NO.”
For many of you, this is the actual reason that you become afraid to ask for the
cash – a fear of rejection keeps you from asking the big question. It’s tough to
pour your heart and soul into something, share it with others and discover that
they are not interested in it. However, this is part of the growth of your business.
As you are out making sales calls, you are going to face a lot of rejection – it’s a
fact of life. Sometimes, you might get 50 negative responses in one day. You
just have to keep going.
Sometimes “no” doesn’t mean “no.” It means, “not now,” so remember to get their
contact information or invite them to pass your offer along to someone they know
may be interested. A rejection today may turn into a sale tomorrow.
Even if clients say “no,” and mean “no,” you must get back on your feet and try
again the next day. If you knock on 20 doors and everyone says no, you could
just give up; but what if door 21 is the one that will say YES, would you want to
miss that opportunity?
In fact, I tell my coaching clients to turn rejection into a game. Make it a goal to
keep talking to people until you collect 10 rejections. Take your flyers, phone
numbers and talk to as many people as you can until you get 10 rejections. Then,
you can you’re your day.
This way, you can actually use rejections to grow your business. It’s nothing
personal. Just take it, adjust your approach and move on. But I will warn you, if
you play this game, you will make money. You will learn VERY quickly that
colleting 10 rejections will require you to talk to a lot of people. Some of these
people will say YES, others will forward your offer to others, and some will call
you back later. If you’re doing everything I taught you, this game will result is a
HUGE increase in your lead database because you’ll be exchanging contact
information with a lot of people.
Believe it or not, rejection is a great thing for your business. If you find that you
are regularly receiving negative responses, or you receive a large number of
rejections in a row, your clients are telling you something about your strategy.
Their rejection is feedback about your Talk Track, your offer, or your business
targets.
Perhaps it is something that needs to be adjusted in your Talk Track. Perhaps
you need an addition to make your product or service offer more compelling.
Either way, this feedback can lead you down a road to much greater future
success – but only if you’re willing to accept your rejection as a business-building
tool.
When you experience a rejection, find out why the client said no. Use every
conversation as an opportunity to improve your approach. Be willing to ask why
they chose not to work with you. You may find that they just don’t have time for
the conversation or a need in their life. If they don’t have time, you can set an
appointment. If they don’t have a need, ask them to pass your information along
to someone who does.
Rejection is NEVER personal, it’s business. People are not rejecting you, they
are rejecting your offer. Focus on fine tuning your offer and your Talk Track and
you’ll see that your rejections become sales.
Regardless of whether a client says yes or no, you must keep going with your
sales strategy. The more you focus on making sales, the more money comes.
With every positive response, you are building evidence that your strategy is
working.
You cannot make your first million before you make your first dollar. Even if you
only build your cash machine to the point it generates $1,000 a month, you now
have evidence that it works. It’s proof that your Cash Machine works and you
have what it takes to be financially free. You have $1,000 extra a month in your
cash, in your checkbook — in your Cash Machine checking account – that’s real
success you can bank on.
Use this as the motivation to keep going and to keep selling.
10 Percent Rule
There’s a term in sales called the “10 percent rule”. If you want to have 10 sales,
you need to ask talk to 100 people.
Let’s take an example. If you want to earn $1,000 in new money a month, and
each sale is worth $100, then you need to make 10 sales per month. To get 10
sales, you need to talk to 100 people.
Let’s use 12/4/5 to break it down.
12: 100 times a month
4: 25 times a week
5: 5 times a day
In order to reach your $1,000 a month goal, you need to ask for the cash 5 times
a day.
Get your 10 No’s!
In the example above, you need to ask for the cash 5 times a day. If you want to
get started quickly, you need to take massive action. I challenge you to go out
and ask for the cash each day until at least 10 people say “no.”
Now, this might sound like an unusual request. But, it’s really not. Since many of
you have not had a great deal of experience in sales, expecting immediate sales
may be setting your sights too high. If you expect to get 10 rejections, it will
prepare you emotionally to take action.
And here’s the best part. Someone might actually say yes. And even if they say
no, you will learn something valuable in the process. You will hear the words you
are saying, and you will hear their response. That will allow you to make
adjustments. You see, getting the results you want simply requires taking action,
observing the results and then making slight adjustments.
Therefore, I want at least 10 people to tell you “no” every single day. You don’t
get to come home until you get 10 no’s! By delaying this action, you are directly
impacting your results. My clients know better than to go home before they get
their 10 rejections.
Now this is not an open invitation for you to be sloppy in your approach. Don’t
just go out there and give a bad presentation and sabotage yourself just to get
that “no.” The success of your business lies in the balance, so give it all you’ve
got.
There are no excuses. It does not matter if you are feeling tired. It does not
matter if you are having a bad day. There are no exceptions – this must become
a part of your daily routine. I don’t care if it’s midnight. Go back out there and get
your 10 no’s!
If you expect to make new money, you must commit to this activity every day for
the first 120 days of your business, maybe even every day for the rest of your
life! Regardless of the specific numbers for your Cash Machine, you must ask for
cash on a daily basis.
As you refine your Talk Track and improve your confidence you will find that it will
take longer and longer to get your 10 rejections because more people are saying
YES rather than NO.
If you find yourself in a place where you are getting 10 no’s in a row, you need an
experienced personal mentor with whom you can practice your Talk Track. Trust
them to listen to you and give you the feedback you need to start getting positive
results. As always, we are available every day to help you through this process –
so get on the phone and get answers to your questions. You can reach us at
________________.
In most cases, you will make your first sale before you get 10 rejections. In the
end, it is all about your commitment to your success! If I tell you that collecting 10
rejections is the path to making money quickly, trust me. I’ve been doing this a
long time. One of the reasons they call me “The Millionaire Maker” is that I help
clients take the actions they know they need to do but are often afraid to do. I
help them to breakthrough their fears and create outstanding results.
Case Study Update #1: Jennifer and Todd H.
In the early stages of their business, Jennifer and Todd had a difficult time
making sales, primarily because they focused too much on their business and
not enough on the customer’s needs. Their Talk Track generally focused too
much in the area of ongoing services and required a commitment that might be
intimidating for a “first encounter.”
After quite a bit of practice, Jennifer took a chance with a different approach.
She changed the beginning of her Talk Track to: “Have you thought about the
later years in life and what your needs will be?”
Because most people answered “no” to that question, Jennifer was able to take
the conversation a few different ways. These scenarios usually included the
difference in cost, health, and overall welfare that impacted unprepared seniors.
This conversation applied both to seniors and their adult children.
By nature, most seniors do not want to move from their homes. They certainly
do not want to be a burden on their children. Jennifer then followed up this
conversation with either a few spoken questions or a full follow-up questionnaire
that demonstrated the greatest areas of need for each client. From there, she
was easily able to illustrate the value of their services.
Case Study Update #2: Nancy B.
Nancy had a wide variety of questions she could ask depending on the prospect.
For parents, she could lead with a question like, “Do you wish your kids could
help out around the house more?” This usually elicited a resounding “YES” from
the parents.
When working with the parents of children who were currently in daycare or had
a babysitter, she would simply ask – “Do you ever wonder what your children are
doing at the babysitter?” This could lead into questions about homework help,
chores, or any other similar area.
When working with teachers, her approach was often a bit more technical, relying
on how after-school programs tend to benefit children personally and
academically.
Case Study Update #3: Samantha W.
Samantha relied on a more visual approach to convey her value to clients. At all
times, Samantha carried around a portfolio that included pictures and
testimonials of clients. She would use these pictures to guide the viewers into
questions. “How long do you think this took the organizer to put together?” Most
people would immediately share their concerns and horror stories about party or
event planning. This made bridging the gap to her services very easy.
At the end of her portfolio, Samantha always carried flyers with tear off contact
sheets that had a few targeted questions, such as asking the client’s birthday or
anniversary. A month prior to the client’s birthday, she regularly arranged for a
follow up conversation regarding what their plan was for the party. This resulted
in one of her most effective sales models.
Case Study Update #4: Joe O.
Joe’s approach to sales was always about the time and pain that many “nontechie”
business owners experienced with the internet and website development.
Because so many in his target market had experienced disappointment with webbased
marketing or spent thousands on previous development that proved
ineffective, he was very quickly able to begin a conversation about strategy.
Questions included: “Do you enjoy spending thousands of dollars and receiving
nothing in return?” “How satisfied would you be if you were able to generate
new, interested customers each day with no extra work at all?”
Ask, Tell, Ask
Now that you have created and practiced your Talk Track, it’s time to begin
looking at how you will model your sales conversations and bring customers to
the close. The best way to do this, just as you discovered in the Talk Track
Action Steps, is through a method we call “Ask, Tell, Ask.”
At its most basic, the goal is to ASK a question to that identifies the customer’s
needs or desires, TELL them how you plan to provide services to take care of
that need, and ASK for the cash.
Step 1: Ask
The first “Ask” questions in the process are open-ended and begin with words
like “what” and “how.”
These types of question will:
• Elicit a response to what it is they want.
• Help you clearly understand what they need.
• Understand what actions they’ve taken in the past, that may or may not
have worked.
• Help reveal details needed to solve the problem.
• Listen to their language to determine whether it’s limiting or decisive.
The goal of the first “Ask Question” is to gain clarity about your prospective
customer’s readiness to purchase your product or service. It also determines
how you are going to position the sale.
If you were running a cleaning business you might ask the first question, “What
challenges are you running into in keeping your home as organized as you would
like?” Notice that the question is assuming they would like to have a more
organized house and it’s giving them an opportunity to share with you a
frustration they may have about getting the job done.
You want to find out things like:
• Are they brand new and still need to know you or the product better? If
so, you need to spend more time explaining the product or service.
• Are they immediately ready for action? If so, you need to move to
“closing” or “enrolling” them in the sale sooner.
• Are they somewhere in between? If so, you might want to give them
something free to sample, such as a report or consultation.
Write 3 sample “Ask” questions related to your business:
1) ______________________________________
2) ______________________________________
3) ______________________________________
Step 2: Tell
In the “Tell” step, you want to demonstrate to the prospect that you were listening
and clearly heard their need. This aids in determining what product or service
can help meet that need, or how you’re going to serve them.
Identifying a need leads to providing the solution.
This is not necessarily the moment to present your product or service. In many
cases you are simply reiterating what they said and restating it to them in your
own words. As a general rule, I like to end the “tell” sentence with, “is that right?”
This lets them clarify their answer or confirm that you’re both on the same page.
For example, you might say, “So, what I heard you say you want is….” or “How I
know we can help is…”
Write 3 “Tell” statements you might use.
1) ______________________________________
2) ______________________________________
3) ______________________________________
Step 3: Ask
The second “Ask Question” is a “closing” question for the purpose of getting the
prospect to purchase. Questions posed to potential consumers should lead to a
“yes” answer. Ask a closing question with the assumption that they are going to
buy.
Possible questions:
• Are you ready to move forward on that today?
• When would you like to get started?
• How would you like to pay for that: Visa, Master Card, Check or Cash
• Would you like…
Write 3 “Closing” questions you might use.
1) ______________________________________
2) ______________________________________
3) ______________________________________
When you ask for cash, never seem apologetic or reluctant. You are giving the
customer something they need. The product will benefit them.
Case Study Example #1: Jennifer and Todd H.
Three “Ask” Questions:
1. How would you feel if your errands could be taken care of with just a phone
call?
2. How would you feel if you didn’t have to worry about calling family members
or friends to take care of your personal business?
3. What area in your life causes the most stress?
Three “Tell” Statements:
1. We can offer you almost any type of service you would imagine, whenever
you need it, with just a simple phone call.
2. You never have to worry about being a burden on us, this is our business and
commitment to you!
3. You won’t need to lose sleep about moving closer to home or worrying about
your children, we can provide you with any service or care you need at your
own home!
Three “Ask for the Cash” Questions:
1. When is your next appointment and where will we be going?
2. Which errand will we be taking care of for you?
3. What time do you need us to arrive to get started?
Case Study Example #2: Nancy B.
Three “Ask” Questions:
1. How fun will it be when your children are coming home happy and ready to
make YOU dinner?
2. How easy will it be when you don’t have to chase down your kids about
finishing their homework or studying for that test?
3. How nice will it be to participate in activities with your children without having
to spend a lot of money or have a lot of preparation time?
Three “Tell” Statements:
1. Not only will your kids learn to cook, they’ll learn many other skills as well!
2. You won’t have to worry about nagging or being the bad guy to your kids
again. In fact, most of our children see an almost instant increase in test
scores and grades!
3. All you have to do is come to one of our classes and we will have everything
ready. Bring your smile and that’s enough!
Three “Ask for the Cash” Questions:
1. So, when are you going to cancel your current babysitter?
2. When will your child start?
3. Which class sounds the most interesting to you?
Case Study Example #3: Samantha W.
Three “Ask” Questions:
1. How many bad weddings or birthday parties have you been to in your life?
2. How much money do you lose on having inexperienced employees or staff
prepare your events? Who knows what to do when something goes wrong?
3. What if you could relax and sit back while your dream becomes a reality?
Three “Tell” Statements:
1. Most people simply aren’t good at putting together their own events, or they’re
scrambling until the last minute putting together final details. We want
everyone involved to ENJOY the event and their cherished memories.
2. An experienced event planner will not only create a better experience, but
they will actually save your business hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on
the preparation, technology, and entertainment.
3. We can provide you with the full event experience along with memories that
you can treasure forever.
Three “Ask for the Cash” Questions:
1. When will we get started on drawing out your event? When does it take
place?
2. When will we meet with the team to plan out your vision?
3. Which options will you be adding to your event?
Case Study Example #4: Joe O.
Three “Ask” Questions:
1. How many thousands of dollars have you lost trying to find the right technical
team?
2. How long will it take you to learn all the skills needed to build the perfect
online experience for yourself?
3. How many clients could be learning about your business right now that are
instead learning about others?
Three “Tell” Statements:
1. We provide you with clearly mapped out strategies and packages that won’t
bleed over deadlines, take months to complete, or break your budget.
2. So many business owners spend years trying to get it right. This takes way
too much investment in time, money, and energy.
3. Your clients will easily find your business and connect through a variety of
means.
Three “Ask for the Cash” Questions:
1. Which package will be the most beneficial for you?
2. How will we work this in with your existing business strategies?
3. When will we begin the work?
Finding New Customers – Where Marketing and Sales Meet
As you’ve seen through our past two modules, marketing and sales are
intertwined not only through every part of our business, but also with each other.
Marketing drives the conversations, awareness, and leads to your business.
Sales turn that interest into purchases of your product or service.
Now that you have an understanding of how these processes work and you’ve
developed a great Talk Track that clearly explains the value your product or
service will create, you can get more specific in your targeting. That will affect
how you find your customers and where you choose to engage your audience.
This information will allow you to maximize your time and energy on the most
effective business practices.
You may have a product or service that is focused in a particular neighborhood,
city or state. You will have to decide how far from your home base you are willing
to travel or provide service. If you need to travel for sales, you may also want to
choose places where there is a concentration of potential customers.
Concentrate your marketing and sales efforts in areas you are likely to find
customers. For instance, if your customers are all public school teachers, you
could seek out the public schools in your area and focus on them. Another
example would be customers who all live in the same type of residence. If you
selling something designed for people who live in apartments, pinpoint
multifamily dwellings in your geographic area and you’ll find new customers.
Perhaps you are associating your product or service with a certain type of
lifestyle. Instead of finding customers at their home or place of work, you might
need to think about where they congregate. What do all your potential customers
share? What is it that they all do? Where is it that they all go?
Everyone (we hope) eats, so your potential customers probably go to the
supermarket. But this may be too large and diverse a group. Dig even deeper
into their lifestyle and try to come up with places only your customers go. The key
is to put yourself into the life of your customer and visualize what they do
throughout the course of the day.
For example, if your target customers are men in their twenties, you may find
them at local sports bars, casual restaurants, hardware stores, sports shops,
clothing stores, electronics stores, movie theaters, gaming arcades, parks,
beaches, sports fields, courts, rinks, and gyms. You might also find them at
special events, like concerts and sporting events.
Finally, if you provide a service that is delivered through the internet, you may not
be limited geographically to where you can serve customers. But you still need to
target a specific audience. Develop web pages with that audience in mind as
covered in the marketing section.
Below, identify 3 places where you would directly engage potential customers.
Location #1:
______________________________________________________
Location #2:
______________________________________________________
Location #3:
______________________________________________________
Closing the Deal
Now that you have identified where you will find customers, what you will say,
and how you will bring customers in, it’s time to close the deal. This is why we
have focused so heavily on sales Talk Tracks. You should now have an almost
instinctual ability to understand how to explain your business and engage with
your customers. You also know how they will fit into your product funnel.
It’s still interesting that even though my coaching clients complete all these
Action Steps and have extremely strong products or services, they still have
conversations every day without success. How does that happen?
The simple answer is that they have great conversations with prospects and
don’t finish with a strong close. They don’t ask for the commitment and take the
money. In every conversation you must always be prepared to ask your prospect
to take action. Sometimes that’s just giving you contact information, or passing
your offer to another person. More often than not that action should be giving you
money. Remember, even if you fail to close the sale on the first attempt, your
process should keep them in your pipeline. This requires some effective
strategies.
There are many ways to “close” a deal. As you know, some will involve an
exchange of money while others will just be to schedule an appointment to talk
more about the offer. Regardless of the outcome, every conversation must have
a strong close and call to action.
The mark of a good “close” is that the customer has no choice but to say YES!
They are saying yes to an appointment, a payment option, or an added bonus –
anything that gets them to agree to the next step is a successful close.
A few examples of closing techniques that will “close” the deal:
Strategy Statements
The “Assumptive” Close Your conversation has shown that your customer is
interested in the product and they are ready to
purchase. Simply act as if they have already agreed!
• When will we get started?
• How would you like to pay?
The Bonus or “Scarcity”
Close
A special addition, added at the right moment, can
often overcome objections or concerns and push a
customer over the top. If you find the customer still
objects, you can inform them that the price or bonus
will only be available for today!
• Because I can see you are committed, I’m going to
add on another product.
• Since you are ready to order now, I’m going to give
you another product or service for free!
The “Alternative” Close Similar to the assumptive close, you will give your
customer a few options of how they can customize
their experience.
• Would you prefer this in red or blue?
• Are we starting this week or next?
The “Benefits” Close Because your product is so valuable, you can easily
add up exactly how it will resolve all of the problems or
concerns they’ve expressed and get more value than
even they anticipate!
The answer to which closing style is best for you lies within your practice and
conversations. This is why you MUST talk to 21 people per day and get 10 no’s!
Getting the Cash
After the customer has agreed to the purchase, you want to seal the deal by
getting a formal commitment down on paper. While it may see easier to just stick
your hand out and wiggle your fingers, customers will feel better about the
transaction and trust you more when you act in a professional way – especially
how you take the money.
For your protection and the peace of mind of your client, make sure everything is
in writing. You want to have the price of your product or service in writing, you
want to have the customer’s commitment to pay in writing, you want to have the
receipt of payment in writing. This process is creating a paper trail of your
transaction so you can refer to it at any step of the progress.
This type of organization ensures that you are dealing fairly and consistently with
all your customers; that you can provide records of payments to your clients if
they lose track; and you can make sure you’re charging the customer the same
price you advertised in your marketing.
All of this organization That requires four specific items:
1. An order form
2. A one-page contract
3. A flyer or other promotional material
4. Your price list
If you have done your job well, your customer will be ready to commit to your
service or product so you need to be ready to act quickly. Once someone has
made the decision to purchase something, the more time that passes before they
part with the money, the more time they have to doubt their decision.
When your customer has agreed to purchase your product or service, it’s time to
get their commitment as soon as possible. If they commit, they will start coming
up with reasons why it was a good decision. Remember, people buy on emotion
and justify with logic. Congratulate them on their decision and give them a few
quick reasons why they made a good choice. By taking the time to reaffirm their
decision to work with you, you’re justifying their emotional decision and
confirming their logical reasoning. This is a surefire way to have a happy
customer when all is said and done.
Have an agreement and receipt ready immediately. Be able to take payment
without hesitation. The sooner you get that receipt into their hand, the sooner the
transaction is complete and your client can take a deep breath.
If you let them get cold feet by not closing the deal and getting the payment right
away, they may have second thoughts. Or they may not think about it all. Without
an immediate purchase, consumers will make excuses to not purchase your
offering later and your time working with them may be wasted.
Setting Sales Goals
Just as with your marketing, patterns will start to emerge as you have more
conversations. From these patterns, you are able to back in to the eventual
goals for your cash machine and get realistic figures about your business
performance. When you are getting started, you should review these numbers
on a weekly basis.
For example, if you have 100 leads, you might want to set a target of closing 10
sales which represents 10 percent. As you improve your sales skills, your closing
ratio will increase to 20% and eventually 30%.
If you find yourself struggling with having conversations or generating leads, it is
absolutely critical that you do not give up. If you are having trouble figuring out
what methods might be effective, this is another opportunity for you to work with
other entrepreneurs and a mentor to strengthen your technique.
If you talk to people every day and every week, I guarantee that you will start to
see results.
The Top 10 Secrets to Sales Success
Everyone is looking for a quick fix or magic pill that will make everything work out
perfectly with little or no effort, but no such thing exists. Sales success comes
from your diligent work and commitment to see success no matter the cost.
There is no magic formula for creating sales success, but there are time-tested
secrets that you can follow to make sure your success is a goal that you can
reach.
1. Be enthusiastic!
One of the simplest and most powerful ways to get sales is simply to be
enthusiastic. Believe in the product or service and it will naturally create
excitement. When you are enthusiastic, you’ll connect with your prospect
through humor, credibility, and logic. You’ll also have an energy that attracts
people. Prospective clients will feel this excitement. Articulate it, own it and
deliver it.
2. Serve your customer!
Everything about your cash machine must focus on the customer experience.
This is true of marketing, sales, and the fulfillment of your product or service –
you are here to serve the customer.
How often does the word “customer service” conjure up images of the counter at
the discount department store? How about a long line and a bored clerk? These
are all things that stand out in your mind. A bad customer service experience
results in clients associating your business with negativity.
Successful businesses are built on good relationships. Nurture relationships from
your suppliers all the way to your customer. Take care of your customers and
they will take care of you. Treating people well is the right thing to do and has
many benefits, especially when it comes to moving clients further into your
product funnel.
3. Know and understand your market!
Understanding your customer’s needs is the way to overcome their objections
and make the sale. Allow prospective clients to raise concerns and ask
questions. Then be ready to ask them questions about that problem and help
them determine how the problem occurred. Take a moment to clearly articulate a
solution. One of the best tools is to find another customer or client who is very
familiar with this problem and how they overcame it through your product or
service.Your knowledge of your customer’s needs and the market you operate in
will add credibility to your business and build trust with your clients.
4. Share testimonials!
It’s a fact that success stories sell and they make it easier for others to buy your
service. There is something reassuring in the knowledge that other people have
already made the same decision and are happy with the results. When it’s
appropriate, it’s okay to get personal. Use your own story as an example and
how your product or service helped you and others. Believe in the life changing
potential of success.
Be careful though. Although stories are powerful, do not lose sight of your
inevitable goal. You want to sell. Narratives develop the relationship with the
customer. Long winded emotional stories with too much about “me, myself and I”
put too much of the focus on you and off the customer. Be specific, measurable,
indisputable, and share details of the benefits. The narrative should follow this
outline: “Here’s what my issue was. Here are the solutions I tried that didn’t work,
and then I found the answer.”
5. Ignite interest!
The senses sell. Consider how to move customers. Create a tangible
experience – through touch, smell, taste, or sight. Draw the customer in to the
experience. Use words to appeal to people who are auditory. Use images to
appeal to people who are visual. Use smell to people who are olfactory. Use
touch to appeal to people who are tactile. And if you are talking to people over
the phone, use words that connect to each of their senses. In fact, the best
presentations include words that appeal to all senses. People take action when
they have a personal attachment to the result, so paint a vivid picture of what life
could be like if they take action. Be descriptive and detailed as you express a
potential future free of this need or problem they have identified. You can even
take a moment to paint a picture of what life might be like if they don’t take
action. Drawing a personal connection between where the customer is now and
where they COULD be if they took action is a fundamental key to speaking to
their emotion and getting results.
6. Put the proposition on the table!
One of the keys to make it easy to buy is to offer a simple choice. You need to
make your offer clear and easy to understand. Don’t offer too many choices.
Don’t offer too many options. In fact, it’s often best to present only one option and
then let them decide.
Let them choose it. Customers will see or hear what they want to hear. Put out
as much information as you can and make it available. Make it easy for them to
say yes.
Once someone has made a decision to move forward, you can always upsell to
another product. If someone says no, you can downsell to another product. You
can develop a strategy that will accommodate any response.
The most important step to closing a sale is putting the offer clearly on the table
and letting the customer decide what the next step is. If you never put the offer in
front of them, how will they say yes?
7. Create the reality!
To make it easy for someone to say yes, you need to create a vision of them
using the product or service. You need to help them imagine what it would be like
to experience the benefits of your product or service. Ask the customer how the
product might change their life. Ask them how they would benefit from using your
product or service.
You can also accomplish this by telling a story. You can say, “Imagine a year has
gone by. Think about how you have benefited from using ______________. How
would your life be different?”
You can mention the specific benefits they may experience to help bring the
experience to life. If they can truly say their life would be different for the better,
then they are likely to have a great experience from your product.
8. Establish a feel-good environment!
You might make the sale today or you might make the sale in the future. When
you meet with prospects, be a professional. Focus on adding value. Even if
someone doesn’t buy, they might refer someone to you in the future.
Sale or no sale, you want your prospective customer to feel good about your
interaction with them. Your Cash Machine will grow through every experience
and interaction whether it comes through personal conversations, trade shows,
store visits, service sampling, or phone calls. Look for ways to deliver value to
prospective customers. Develop a productive relationship with consumers. Be
somebody they want to hear from.
9. Drive the outcome!
Go into every sales opportunity knowing what outcome you expect. Do not get
into a sales conversation with vague expectations or statements like “Let’s see
what happens.” Have a goal in mind and steer toward it.
Keep in mind that your goal is to sell your product, or else you won’t have a
business. You have to have a bottom line focus every day. Wake up each
morning and recognize that you need to make a certain number of sales each
day to cover your expenses and earn a profit. Stay focused on that goal. Make
calls, set appointments and deliver presentations.
10. Think their thoughts!
Do you know what your prospective customer is thinking? One of the best ways
to relate to your customer is to understand things from their perspective. How
can you do this? Ask a lot of questions. Take time to study your ideal customers.
That means you first need to understand who your ideal customers are.
Prior to any sale, you must understand your consumer. That is marketing. Sales
take over where marketing leaves off. Find out what the customer thought before
he or she bought. Take what you learn through the process and apply it to the
consumer.
Big companies pay a lot of money for market research. You can do the same
thing by calling people by on the phone or meeting them in person. You can also
ask people that know your demographic group well. For example, if you want to
market to parents, then you can talk to parents, but you can also talk to people in
the Parent Teachers Association, or people who run day care centers. They will
have a unique perspective and can provide useful insights.
After the sale is complete, ask customers what they wanted before they bought
your product. It’s a good way to find out when your customer makes a decision
and how they feel after making it. The more you know about how people make a
buying decision, the better you will be able to influence their decisions.
ACTION STEPS: Your Commitments
The time for action is now. These modules have helped you put together the
foundation, but you MUST take the steps necessary to create cash.
This exercise may very well be the most important one that you complete when
starting your business.
Write down the following commitments on a piece of paper. Do not type this on a
computer, but write it in your own handwriting and prepare it to hang in a place
you see many times per day. This could be your office wall, your car, or your
bathroom mirror.
“I, _________________, commit to talking to ____ potential customers per day. I
will ask for the cash during every conversation and I will provide a valuable
benefit to all of my customers.”
Fill in the numbers above with your the goals you established based on your
revenue model. If you’re not sure of your goals, you will begin with AT LEAST 21
potential customers per day.
Sign this paper as if it is a contract you’re making with yourself and remind
yourself of your commitment each and every day. You are only as successful as
you are committed. By staying committed, there is no doubt that you will reach
your goals.
Section Recap:
Here are the major ideas covered in Section 4:
• Creating your Talk Track
• Selecting your 5 distinctions
• Learning to sell
• Overcoming the fear of selling
• Setting appointments
• Handling rejection
• Getting your 10 no’s
• Ask for the cash
• The top 10 secrets to sales success
It’s time to move on to Section 5: Your Ongoing Actions