Help for Loooonnngg Sales Cycles

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Too much information running through my brain
Too much information driving me insane
Too much information running through my brain
Too much information driving me insane

 

            – The Police “Too Much Information” (Ghosts in the Machine 1981)

The Police (Sting’s old group for you youngin’s-) had it right way back in the 80’s with this song.   Too much information is indeed a problem.

But 30 years later, insane would be better result than some of the other stuff that happens today because of information overload. 

For us business folks, the sales cycles are getting longer.  It feels like it is taking longer than ever for prospects to close or move to the next step or to just say “no” and allow us to move on.  That hurts.  That also makes us crazy. (Fortunately crazy is a tamer version of insane).

One of the biggest reason sales cycles are getting so long is that there is just so much information out there.

Today a prospect has a quadrillion options on line to learn about your industry, your company, your product or even you.  And what’s worse is that this prospect given the tough economy and the corporate trust issues, feels obligated to do that research.  He or she feels that due righteous diligence means a lot of research and study that years ago just wasn’t available. 

You do it too.  Used to be you threw the Sony Walkman on the beanbag, slipped on the Members Only jacket, jumped in the Taurus and trundled to the local department store to get a new fridge cuz’ the Kenmore up and died. 

Now you analyze product reviews, consumer reports, price shopper sites, debate whether to buy online or offline, wait for Twitter and Facebook replies from friends before you trundle anywhere and have a look.    Businesses do the same.  Your competitors are all over the world and they all have a website.  There’s a never ending supply of helpful online groups and associations to solicit feedback from.   Testimonials aren’t requested any more, they are already there and must be read through.

So much to look at.  So many options to study.

That takes time.  And that lengthens Sales Cycles.  That’s some of the pain of too much information. 

So what do you do?  Here are two strategies to help.  

Set A Table of Urgency: 

Some of the ownership of “over analysis” by clients lies with us sales and marketing folks.  Our meetings or our phone calls or our emails don’t always set the best expectations (often none at all) around time.  If they did, they might speed up the information review.

  • Set Up “Tentative” Meetings:  Trying to set up a meeting for real can be difficult when the prospect has all this information they want to review.  Set it up at least tentatively as you end the call or leave the meeting.  Use the word “tentatively” (it keeps that buyer tension low) and get it on an Outlook Calendar.   A recent study I saw said prospects are 70% more likely to keep a tentative meeting on a calendar than just an open ended invitation.

 

  • Build Checkpoints up front into the sales process. (Always position as a benefit to the prospect of course).  “At the end of this meeting you should be in a position to say you want to review more materials or not. Your time is not something I want to waste.”  Or “If you are interested in going to the next step after this meeting, the next 3 days are fully staffed for us to run numbers with your data groups”. 

 

Prescribe The Research:

 

Part of the problem with too much information is the prospect wondering where to begin to look- further stalling the sales cycle.

  • Share What To Do.   Give your prospect the competitor names, the associations to solicit feedback from and the sites where they can see objective product or company reviews.  Send them the links to the videos or the white papers and encourage them to dig in.    You’ll be surprised how this cuts the time and builds your credibility simultaneously.

 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

[100 Words Or Less] – Mayhem Who?

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When I post on a Monday, I’m pledging to keeping it to 100 words or less.

It’s busy enough on Monday no?

I like those Mayhem commercials with Dean Winters. They’re funny. Here’s one.  Problem is everyone I ask can’t remember which insurance company he is shilling for.  Doesn’t happen with Flo or the Gecko or even that floating “T” Umbrella.

Funny, smart commercials only work when people associate them with your company. That goes for you Mr. or Ms. Salesperson.  Make sure your smart commercials ( voicemails, emails, contacts) aren’t just memorable about you but something bigger too.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

It’s Way More Than Annoying

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Busy small business owners calling to place orders or get information don’t want to wait long for you to enter the same bloody product they’ve been ordering for 6 years, or want to answer a lot of your questions, or want to verify a lot of information or listen to your order summary or confirmation number or whatever it is you might need to do.

Shocker eh?

Yeah, like you didn’t know that already.

You know they just don’t see the value, not with the 10 minutes they got before the post office closes and those packages have got to go, or are you kidding me?, that snow is falling again and the side walk needs to get sanded now or it’s almost 4 o’clock and Jimmy The Geek is leaving but there’s no way that router cannot not be working tomorrow when you’ve the hall rented out.

But you can help them deal with the perceived annoyances of doing business with you.  You can help you too.

It truly is way more than they think – this annoying stuff you do.   Help them think deeper.

Small businesses need a little nudge to the deep side sometimes.   Wont’ take much; these are prideful, intelligent and passionate people.   And it makes you look smart and sure as heck makes them know you care.

  • “This is your business we’re talking about on this, so let me double check some things here…”

 

  • “This is your investment here so let me ask a couple of questions to maximize it…”

 

  • “This is your brand reputation we’re looking at here with this so I’ve got to ask these 3 quick questions…”

 

  • “This is your image at this trade show, so let’s make sure everything is perfect…..”

 

  • “This is revenue potential we’re talking about here with this product so read it back to me if you would…”

 

  • “This is your compliance stuff so let’s summarize that we have gotten everything here…

 

Everything in bold above means something valuable to a small business owner or team member.   Remind them of these before you execute on all that stuff they think is simply a pain.

Verify information because it’s way more than a product being accurate.  Ask questions because it’s way more than you trying to sell other stuff.  Summarize things because it’s way more than what you are supposed to do.

Think way more because frankly, it is. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

6 Rules Of Marketing & Sales

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I admit that I like rules.

Without some rules you see, it’s really just chaos out there.   

1) If the content of your campaign or sales presentation is poo, it does not matter how many ways you distribute it or how many impressions of your poo you give; it is still poo.

2) It’s more important to first understand and act aggressively upon what your customer thinks about you than what you think about your customer.

3) All the new ways to communicate with customers and prospects are by definition now, marketing and sales tools.  Everyone in each group should learn to use them well.

4) Sales is an extension of Marketing.  Sales is an extension of Marketing.  Sales is an extension of Marketing.  And Sales is an extension of Marketing.

5) Knowledge and Service is more of what many of us are selling and marketing today.  They both therefore are as much a product as any traditional tangible product and need all the planning, support and care any widget ever did.

6) The only reason Marketing and Sales exist is because your customers are not jazzed enough about your products that they’ll go out and sell them for you.  Aim for that.  When that happens, Nirvana is achieved and no rules need apply.  

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

The Best Quiz Ever

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Let’s assume you want to be better.  What should you specifically aspire to do?

It’s easy to know.  You do not have to look far.  It’s just beneath the surface. 

Take this 6 question quiz.  Write down your answers.  The answers are going to be the ingredients for you getting better.  And you’ll soon see why it is the best quiz ever.

Think of the best of the people you know and love.  Think why they are the best.  Think quickly.  Think short answers.   Don’t think hard.  Your first thought is likely perfect. 

Think about

  1. The best Friend you’ve ever had.  Why were they the Best?
  2. The best Teacher you ever had.   Why were they the Best?
  3. The best Boss you ever knew.  Why were they the Best?
  4. The best Sales Rep, Marketer, Trainer (you fill in the blank; whatever job you do today) you ever knew. Why were they the Best?
  5. The best trait of your Significant Other.  Why is that the Best?
  6. The best Leader you ever knew. Why were they the Best?

 

These answers are your answers to the ubiquitous “best” questions out there and as such, these answers have real meaning and value to you.  They are in essence, personalized for you.   No book, no speaker, no training class is telling you what being better or being best looks like here.

These answers will help you because you already admire these people and these traits.  You’ll have the added power of visualization, of memories and if you still interact with these folks, of mentors to help you.  

I wrote down the answers about people in my life and simply wove each answer from top to bottom into a statement for how I’ll know I’m getting better; for being the best.  

I’ll be the best when I get better at giving unconditional support, when I can better teach how knowledge really helps you, when I get better at encouraging out of control thinking, when all my client relationships are amazing, when I care more often about others than myself and when I get more relentlessly obsessed with the customer.

Makes perfect sense (to me).  Feels right.  Feels familiar. 

Take the quiz.  It’ll be your own recipe.  And it will be the best; kind of like home cookin’. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Think Wider

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It’s good that some car dealerships realize that it’s not just the car that is in need of getting fixed, but the driver too.  That’s why the newer establishments that understand this have valet service drop offs, uniformed check in managers and wait rooms with Wifi and cafeterias that make a service wait almost bearable.

It’s good that some Hospitals realize it’s not just the patient that is in need of getting fixed, but the loved ones of that patient.   That’s why the ones that understand this have nurses and staff that seemingly “check in” as often about the visiting families comfort as with the patient who is ill.  They have comfortable chairs in patient rooms and yes, even offer to have food and drinks brought up for you; the healthy relative of the patient.

It’s good that we realize that it’s not just a customer’s product or delivery or bill that needs fixing, but it’s that person or business too.  That’s why those of us who understand this need no prodding or training to apologize sincerely, to work feverishly far beyond that one call or connection to rebuild the broken trust and to find ways to mitigate that customer’s loss of time, reputation or even revenue. 

It’s not good enough or actually, different enough to just fix the traditional problem be it the car, the patient or the customer’s product.   Think wider.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

You Had Me At Hello (and then, you just let me go)

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Dear Sales or Service Rep,

What the heck happened when you had your chance?

I had to speak with you today.  I needed to talk to a human because as a small business owner, I’m super busy and sometimes it’s just faster.  So you got me and I got you.

And I know it’s a big deal to talk to me, given how much I and my fellow small business owners are in demand.   I’m all over TV.  Seems like every company wants to help me, or guide me, or build a special site for me to visit.  That’s nice.

So there I was, live and on the phone with you.

You blew it.

You totally had me when you said “Hello”.  I was waiting.  I was shockingly semi focused on you and what you were doing.  I had a need when I called and you had a real voice.  But in the end, the stuff you did and didn’t do, just let me go.

I’ve been a customer for 4 years but I don’t know if  you knew that- you didn’t say.  With my customers, it’s pretty much the first thing I notice.  Sticking with me means something to me, but to you? I guess not.

You called me “Steve” but frankly only my friends; my doctor and my family call me “Steve”; at least not without asking permission first.  Heck I’ve never called any of my customers by first name unless I knew them well or they insisted.    You folks don’t realize how that rubs us business owners who are also customers the wrong way.

You tried to up sell me and cross sell me stuff like you were afraid.   Huge turnoff.  Have some confidence!  People forget I am in sales too or else my kids don’t get fed.   And while I may not be a pro at selling, I darn well don’t do it meekly.  I have to up sell and cross sell too to make my business grow.  So if you’re going to sell me, do it with pride and strength, not like your praying I won’t notice.  When I sell, I’m proud of what my products can do.  You should be too.

You had me at “Hello”, maybe next time you can keep me to “Goodbye”.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

But You’re In Sales

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You took that call, not knowing the client was sent an email offer by marketing or what it said but you’re in Sales, so you recognized that what’s important was that there’s interest so you fueled that fire and said “Yes, we’ve had a lot of calls about this! Let me make sure I know which one you are talking about…tell me what it reads…”

You personally didn’t screw up the client’s proof or was the one who didn’t call to arrange that installation but you’re in Sales, so you knew that owning the problem was critical and called that unhappy customer back and said “I am so sorry.  I own this, let me fix this problem right now…”

You knew there was a sales shortfall this month and you saw the silly contest poster to “Close the most sales over the next 24 hours!”  but you’re in Sales,  so you focused on solving customer problems and didn’t pitch and dump and spew and pound out phone calls just to hit that low hanging unloyal fruit opportunity and close the deal because heck, you’re not gonna leave a trail of garbage like that. 

Stuff happens.  And most of us;  be we actual sales people, marketers, trainers, leaders or even business owners sell all day long and know nothing ever, ever goes to plan.  But we’re in Sales, so we take our noble profession seriously and apply accordingly. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

A Salesperson’s Valentine’s Day

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Beautiful poetry can move the soul.  But when I write about my beloved salespeople….not so much. 

Oh sweet Valentine , Oh love of mine,
Today is finally the day for you.
It’s the day this year I pledge to make
A start that’s all brand new. 

For I have heard your pleas to leave work
At work, and to please be more attentive.
That I must “let it go” when I get home
And stop obsessing over my incentive.

So now I promise I’ll shut it off
And stop saying those salesy things at night.
Like “What’s your preferred method of contact?”
For I guess unlike at work, at home it’s impolite.

 I’ll stop waking asking “Are you the decision maker?”
Disturbing you from your slumber.
I already know who’s boss, I really do
But it’s a darn helpful question to hit my number.

So today’s the day it all begins
Where I’ll stop trying to “overcome your objections”.
Where I’ll stop believing every “no” gets me closer to a “yes”
And where finally my love makes course corrections.

Today’s special, or so I’d like to think
For it’s the first day of a brand new me.
Though I just noticed the difference between today’s special
And Todays’ Special is, the slight move of an apostrophe.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Crushed

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I stared at it every day.

A lot of snow on it for sure.

Lots of snow everywhere.  75 inches of snow so far this year where I live.  I know, I keep track.

I’d take the dog out and yes, I’d stare at it.   Gee, that’s a lot of snow on that.  It was pretty in the snow.

I’d put the dishes in the sink, make the coffee, rinse a plate or two and I’d stare at it more out the window.  

There’s a lot of snow on that roof.  Boy, it’s snowed a lot this year.  It’s a big old shed the previous owner built.  He was a contractor.  It was strong.   I don’t have a garage, so that shed is very helpful.  I put the lawn mower, the bikes, the paint, the old furniture and a dozen other important things in there- you know how it works.

On Sunday I stared at it more.  

The snow on the roof was gone.  Wow.  Where did it go? 

I stared at it more and realized the snow was gone because the roof was gone. 

Collapsed. Crushed. 

The shed exploded actually.  The sheer weight of what had to be 4 feet of snow crushed it in the center crumpling out all 4 sides.  Truth is, the shed looks like it might have been stepped on by a brontosaurus.  Drive on by my house and you’ll see it; it’s quite the sight.

Ugh.

I soooo realized Sunday that sometimes problems are right in front of us but we simply don’t see them. 

Literally.

I had heard the warnings on radio about roofs and buildings collapsing under the weight of snow but I did not really hear.  I saw the neighbors taking snow of roofs of sheds and homes and schools for fear of collapse but did not really see.   I stared at the bloody shed for weeks and really did not act.

Wow.  A lesson right there in my own back yard.

What will you notice now?  What can you learn from my now crushed shed I just stared at for way too long?

What is right in front of you and gnaws at you? What doesn’t look right?  What just “bothers” you that you stare at every day.  What do you “hope” does not happen so much that you just avoid it?  What are people telling you that you uncomfortably just “brush off” or ignore?

Be wary.  Whatever it is if you do not act, it could collapse.  And you’d be crushed.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark