Jill Konrath's Blog, page 23

[Video] Easiest Tip Ever to Increase Sales Success

Did you know that the maximum amount of time a person can focus intently on a task is 90 minutes? Any longer and your productivity starts to spiral downhill, your mind wanders and you lose your edge.

So then you start working on things that are easy to do, but not very important in the overall scheme of things.

It's time to get up and move. Go get some coffee. Take a walk outside. Have a chat with a colleague. Call a friend on the phone. Do some stretching. And, if you work at home, consider doing the laundry or something else that's totally mindless.

Make sure you take 15-20 minutes off too. I know if feels like you're wasting time and being non-productive. But the truth is, your body and mind need that break time to refresh themselves. When you get back to your desk, you'll be mentally raring to go again.

Personally, I use this process whenever I have an office day scheduled. And, to make myself even more productive, I plan out my 90 minute sessions the night before. That way, when I get to the office, I can focus on my most important To Do first. The best thing about working this way is that I'm always accomplishing what matters.

So give yourself a break. It'll be will worth your time.

What Do You Think of These 2014 Sales Predictions?

Every year sales pundits offer their best guesses about the year ahead. Are they right? Who knows. We rarely revisit past predictions.

That's why I've never much liked them ... until I read a Making Predictions Makes You Learn Better by Annie Murphy Paul. In essence, research shows that it's really not the prediction that counts. It's the thinking process that goes into it -- and the resulting curiosity to find if what you've guessed is right/wrong that really matters. 

So here's my 2014 sales prediction:

And, it's very much related to my new book, Agile Selling, which I've been thinking about for two years now: 

In today's ever-changing business world, sellers are now the key differentiator. Not your products. Not your services. YOU!

And, in 2014, sellers who are agile learners will dominate. Their mindset, combined with their ability to rapidly assimilate new knowledge and acquire new skills will enable them to win significantly more and better deals. 

But what's more important is YOUR 2014 prediction.

What do you think will happen? 
What changes are occurring? 
What does that mean for sellers?  

You'll get smarter by peering into the future and venturing a guess. And, we'll get smarter from pondering what you predict. 

[Video] Stunningly Unused Sales Technique

Asking good sales questions is pivotal to your sales success. But, that's not what I'm here to talk about today. Instead, we're going to focus on what happens AFTER you ask these questions.

And, it's no secret that you need to be a good listener. To most people, that's a big duh!

But here's the deal. After asking a sales question, if the prospect hasn't responded in 2-3 seconds, the average seller jumps in to fill the silence.

You heard me right. Two to three seconds is the most people can stand before they start blathering. They might talk about their company, product or service. Or, they'll ask another question, hoping that will help. It doesn't.

You just sound like every other self-serving salesperson and your credibility goes down the drain.

One last stat for you. Research shows that if you ask a really good sales question that requires your prospect to think, it takes them 8-10 seconds to respond. That means that every time you butt in, you lose information that could help you get their business.

So what's the solution? Learning to get comfortable with silence. It was one of the hardest things I ever did. It was painful to sit there and not say anything.

Then one day, I discovered a way to deal with it. I simply started counting one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand - all the way up to ten. If my prospect hadn't answered by then, it was time for me to reframe the question.

The result? I gained invaluable insights into their business, priorities, challenges, objectives and decision process.

Next time you're with a prospect, give this sales technique a shot. You'll be uncomfortable at first. That's guaranteed. But you'll also be amazed at the responses you get! 

Special Event: SalesFest 2014

Want to become a bolder and better salesperson? If so, join me at Jeff Shore's SalesFest 2014 Go for the BOLD webcast on January 3rd at 2pm ET, 11am PT. As a speaker at this event, I'll be joined by these pros:

Jeff Shore, sales expert and author of the brand new book Be Bold and Win the Sale, which is officially being released on that day. 
Mark Sanborn, leadership expert and author of The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Life Can Turn the Ordinary into the Extraordinary, which has sold over 1.6 million copies worldwide. 
Larry Winget, the Pitbull of Personal Development, author of Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get a Life and former host of Big Spender, an A&E TV show host. 

During this 60-minute panel discussion, we'll be talking about how we battled our own comfort addictions to achieve success—both personally and professionally. (Click here to register now.)

This is not a PowerPoint presentation. It's four experts talking--even bantering--about what it takes to be better and bolder in sales and in life. It'll be FUN, a bit crazy and off the wall. There will even be prizes. 

Click here to sign up for the SalesFest webcast or to simply learn more: http://salesfest2014.com

True Story: Following Your Customer's Marching Orders

Find out how strategically planning for a sales meeting helped Heather land her company's largest contract. 

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Heather*, CEO of a small training company, couldn’t believe her luck. Through a referral, she’d secured a meeting with a senior Pentagon leader to talk about her new management development program.

Waiting nervously in the lobby, she felt a bit out of place in her trendy outfit and edgy hairdo. When her name was called, she jumped up. Standing by the door to the hallowed halls was the General, who warmly greeted her. Several feet behind him stood his two aides de camp.

“Card,” the General barked. One stepped forward, handed him his business card and promptly resumed his original position. He handed it to Heather. Reciprocating, she fumbled in her purse till she found one, and then gave it to him.

“I have a meeting room reserved,” the General said. “Follow me.” As they passed into the secure zone, the two aides-de-camp fell into step behind them, but at a discrete distance that allowed for a private conversation.

Walking down white corridor after white corridor, Heather struggled to keep up to his pace as she tottered along in her high heels. Carrying her overfilled briefcase and big purse made it even more challenging. The aides-de-camp carried everything the General needed.

Despite feeling a bit out of her league, Heather gave a compelling presentation. The General was interested. But the conversation came to a screeching halt when they both realized her company couldn’t scale fast enough to handle the Pentagon’s needs.

Regrouping & Rethinking

Undefeated, Heather and her leadership team spent months rethinking and restructuring their service offering so they were capable of training huge numbers of personnel in ridiculously short time periods. When she was confident that they were ready for prime time, she re-contacted the General and got on his calendar.

Knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Heather was not going to blow it. She and her team immersed themselves in understanding their buyer’s objectives, issues and challenges. They crafted a strategic plan for their initial meeting, put together an agenda and then practiced.

Heather also studied military protocol—and practiced it with her colleagues. She knew they’d have a better chance of getting the business if the General and his staff felt comfortable with her team. 

How She Got the Business

It was the day of the big meeting. Sitting in the lobby, a toned-down Heather was dressed in a proper business suit and good walking pumps; her colleagues were similarly attired.

When the General arrived, Heather and her team went to meet them. After a exchanging a few pleasantries, they began the long walk down the endless hallways. Heather’s colleagues, who were carrying her briefcase and purse, followed discretely behind.

Upon reaching the meeting room, Heather was introduced to additional staff members. “Card,” she said. Her colleague stepped forward and handed it to her.

The General took his position at the table. His aides-de-camp positioned themselves at seats behind him. Heather sat opposite the General; her colleagues sat behind her. After a short, but very productive discussion, the General decided it was worth moving to the next step.

At that meeting, Heather implemented a brilliant strategy and flawlessly executed it. But, it takes more than one good conversation to get the business. Heather’s team knew that -- planned for each one just like the first.

The net result? Within fairly short order, they closed their first deal with the Pentagon. It was the largest contract they’d ever landed. Since that time, it’s migrated into a highly profitable, multi-year project. And, upon discovering other unmet needs, Heather’s company created (and sold) several other new services offerings.

Here’s the Deal

Most sellers I know barely plan for their upcoming meetings. They operate on cruise control, totally oblivious to what’s even possible if they’d engage in the opportunity.

Selling is a thinking-intensive profession today. It requires you to engage your brain, to invest time learning, to strategize and create.

Yes, it takes longer to do that. But the other option is to make an endless number of wasted calls, contacts and conversations that lead to know where.

Which will you choose?

*Based on a true story. Names and details have been changed to protect identities of the actual people involved.

_________________

For more information on how to plan a strategic sales meeting, download the Master Sales Meetings ebook. 

It walks you through the 5 steps necessary to pass the first test with important accounts.

This Is How I Work [Series]

Yesterday I was challenged to write a blog post on "This is How I Work." This series, inspired by LifeHacker, was moved into the sales field by Anthony Iannarino, who tagged Charlie Green, who tagged Dave Brock, who tagged Dave Stein and who then tagged me.

Here's the inside scoop on my work life:

Location: White Bear Lake, MN

Current computer: MacBook Air

Mobile Devices: iPhone, iPad

What apps/software/tools can’t I live without? My list is boring since I'm not a technogeek.

•  Email is the lifeblood of my business. Without it I don't know how to work.

• 1Password remembers all my passwords and totally simplifies my life. 

• LinkedIn is a research goldmine. I'm on it daily learning more about people I'm meeting with, identifying connections, initatiating conversations and more. 

NOTE: My Fresh Sales Strategies group was just selected as the Top Sales/Marketing LinkedIn group by TopSalesWorld.com.

•  AntiSocial keeps me from going online when I'm supposed to be working. It blocks access to any website that I can get lost in. 

•  Words with Friends connects me to my family and friends. Plus, it challenges me daily. 

•  Word. I write. Without it, I don't. 

What’s my workspace like? 

As a microbusiness, I work out of my home. My office, a converted 3-season porch, has windows on three sides and overlooks a natural wildlife habitat. This morning, three deer were sleeping in our backyard, a fox walked by and some turkeys flew in for a while. 

I typically work at my desk, which has a pile of projects in one corner. My computer is on a credenza, behind my desk. When I'm on the phone, I'm walking around a lot, looking outside!

What’s my best time-saving shortcut/life hack?

Saying no—nicely. I've saved more time by politely declining "opportunities" and by simply telling people I'm not available. I've also stopped doing work that saps me, enabling me to have more energy for what I'm good at.

What everyday thing am I better at than anyone else?

Learning. Give me a new challenge to learn and I embrace it with relish. And, once I figure something out, I have an incredible urge to share it with others. (It's why I write, speak, train, coach, do videos!)

What’s your favorite to-do list manager?

None. I hate To Do lists. They take over your life and get you focused on the minor details. I know what projects I'm working on and get them done. 

What do I listen to while I work?

The sounds of silence. I love quiet.

What am I currently reading?

The Accidental Creative, Todd Henry. I love his process for being brilliant at any moment. It's my goal in life.

Agile Selling, Jill Konrath. It's my new book, coming out in May. In the past few weeks I've been through it multiple times as we've been editing. I'll have one last pass at it in early January. (P.S. I'm pretty sick of it right now!)

What’s my sleep routine like?

I’m usually up till about midnight. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping because I get my best ideas in the evening. I frequently get up to jot down my thoughts so I don’t forget them. I’m usually up at about 7:30 am.

What’s the best advice I’ve ever received?

“Never say never.” Someone I met at a networking meeting years ago, handed me that quote by Robert Schuler instead of a business card. I still have it. When I'm discouraged, it reminds me that I just haven't figured out how to make things work yet. 

Fill in the Blank:

I’d love to see inside sales expert Trish Bertuzzi, President of The Bridge Group, Inc. answer these questions. Hopefully she’ll take me up on this to keep the ball rolling. 

And ... hopefully you enjoyed the inside scoop on how I really work. 

[Video] 2 Ways Being a Closet Slug Helped Me Increase Sales Effectiveness

Have you ever wondered how you’ll get everything done? That’s how I feel all too often. I get to my desk at 7:30 to tackle the emails. I work through my lunch hour. And, at the end of the day it seems like I’ve barely made a dent.

Here's the truth. I like telling people I'm crazy-busy. It makes me sound important. And, even worse, I’m a closet slug. All day long I make bad choices that contribute to this predicament.

But on the upside, I’ve learned how compensate for my slothful behavior. Here are 2 strategies to increase sales effectiveness that have worked for me:

1. Pinpoint Prospecting: Instead of dialing for dollars, I learned how to target companies where I had a higher likelihood of success. And, I looked for specific trigger events – like stagnant sales or new strategic initiatives – that created a greater need for my services. The result? Fewer calls, but more hot prospects.

2. High Quality Meetings: I spent tons of time prepping for very single call, meeting, presentation or proposal. I researched, I planned, I wrote out questions and agendas. The result? It took fewer prospects to get more and bigger sales.

Being a closet slug taught me to focus on efficiency and effectiveness. But I still think it would be nice to have more time to spare for fun things in life. How about you?

2 Ways Being a Closet Slug Helped Me Increase Sales Effectiveness

Have you ever wondered how you’ll get everything done? That’s how I feel all too often. I get to my desk at 7:30 to tackle the emails. I work through my lunch hour. And, at the end of the day it seems like I’ve barely made a dent.

Here's the truth. I like telling people I'm crazy-busy. It makes me sound important. And, even worse, I’m a closet slug. All day long I make bad choices that contribute to this predicament.

But on the upside, I’ve learned how compensate for my slothful behavior. Here are 2 strategies to increase sales effectiveness that have worked for me:

1. Pinpoint Prospecting: Instead of dialing for dollars, I learned how to target companies where I had a higher likelihood of success. And, I looked for specific trigger events – like stagnant sales or new strategic initiatives – that created a greater need for my services. The result? Fewer calls, but more hot prospects.

2. High Quality Meetings: I spent tons of time prepping for very single call, meeting, presentation or proposal. I researched, I planned, I wrote out questions and agendas. The result? It took fewer prospects to get more and bigger sales.

Being a closet slug taught me to focus on efficiency and effectiveness. But I still think it would be nice to have more time to spare for fun things in life. How about you?

Discover How to Make Sales a SNAP in this Video Interview

Recently, I did an in-depth video interview with Customer Engagement Magazine on what it takes to be successful in sales today. Ray Stendall, the publisher, asked me all all sorts of questions about how to deal with crazy-busy prospects. 

This new multi-media magazine covers the entire customer experience and normally sells for $5/issue. However, we've arranged to give you 3 months of free access on your iPad. Just follow these directions:

Click on this link while on iPad:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/customer-engagement-magazine/id544533057
Download the app—it's free 
Click on "Subscribe"
Select "Current Subscriber" 
Enter this code: jillkonrath2013

It'll take a few seconds to download the magazine. As soon as it's ready, press "View" and read/scan.

I hope you enjoy my ideas on selling to frazzled customers. Plus, you'll also find articles by numerous other experts whom I highly respect. 

Create Value Propositions by Measuring Before and After Results

Many consultants and professional services providers find it difficult to quantify the measurable results customers realize from using their offerings. Because of this, they think they can’t come up with a strong value proposition.

I understand why they feel this way. With 15 years of consulting under my belt, none of my product launch clients measured or assessed the effectiveness of my work. There are many reasons for this - not enough time to compare before/after results, the lack of a benchmark and the multiple factors that impact a new product’s market success. But like many of you, I lacked good hard data.

Here are a few examples of how to measure value propositions to get you thinking:

Sales Training / New Product Launch

Lag time between product launch and achieving projected sales results.
Critical need to shorten time-to-profitability.
High costs of sales rep downtime preparing PowerPoint presentations and proposals, as well as the problems caused by delivering inconsistent messages to customers and channel partners.
Lost “windows of opportunity” enabling competitive inroads.
Inconsistent messages being delivered to channel partners and customers across the nation/world.

Web-Site Design:

Driving more traffic to the web site.
Decreasing the number of customers who abandon full shopping carts.
Increasing the transaction value per customer.
Improving search engine rankings.
Freeing up corporate resources with improved online capabilities.

Team Building:

Reducing the high cost of employee turnover.
Speeding up time spent on making critical business decisions.
Eliminating management time spent on handling employee conflict.
Maximizing employee productivity at work.
Streamlining processes to increase operational efficiency.
Creating a work environment where creativity flourishes, enabling customers to create a competitive business advantage.
Minimize destructive turf issues that cost companies millions each year as management scrambles for power.

Stories can also help you clarify your value proposition. Here's an example: I have a Mentoring Program that helps individuals and companies boost their sales. I could easily describe it as “telephone consulting.” But it’s far more effective to tell about the regional engineering firm that called me in to help on a Request for Proposal. They were a major underdog – a regional firm competing against all the big players in their industry.

The buyer was conducting one-hour interviews with eight firms. Only three would be invited back for the second round. My client’s only goal was to make the first cut – to prove they could compete with the national consulting firms.

Winning the contract wasn’t even a possibility in their minds. They were delighted when they were invited back for the 2nd presentation. Several days later they received another call from the customer. They’d decided the second round of interviews was unnecessary – everyone wanted to work with my client.

With my help they landed a large contract that grew to over $1 million in just 6 months. Now, wouldn’t you like to work with me if you could achieve similar results? This story significantly enhances my credibility and demonstrates I know what I’m doing.

Whatever profession you’re in, it’s critical to talk about your work in business terms. As a result of working with you, what are the outcomes? What business results are attained? They’re there! You just need to find them.