Mark Hunter's Blog, page 16
February 1, 2023
Prospecting Is a Mental Game
I want you to be successful at prospecting, and I’m going to tell you ten things to get your head in the game.
1. Prep the day before.You can’t go into anything mentally prepared if you have no idea what you’re getting into.
Who are the contacts I’m going to be calling?
What are my expectations?
If you wait till that morning, you’re going to waste so much valuable time just getting ready.
2. Set the expectations.It’s not your job to boil the ocean. Prospecting is one step at a time, and you have to be mentally prepared for the long haul.
You’re not going to make a couple phone calls and suddenly business is just falling into your lap. It’s going to take time. Set some expectations to prepare your mindset.
3. Immerse yourself.If you want to become good at anything, you have to do it. You’ve got to set yourself up for really learning and studying the craft.
That’s why I strongly recommend the Sales Hunter Podcast and the Sales Hunter University. Both of these are focused around prospecting and helping you gain knowledge and skills.
If you want to become good at it, you’ve got to watch, learn, and listen from those who are good. Investing in yourself is more than just dollars, it’s also taking the time to read/listen and apply knowledge.
via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY4. Set daily and hourly goals.
If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?
I love setting daily and hourly goals such as, “During this hour, I’m going to achieve x.” Set yourself daily goals that you can accomplish.
Here’s what I’ve found, success creates success. Achieving these smaller goals propels you forward.
5. Expect success.Read how salespeople can organize their time and goals.
If you go in to prospecting thinking, “Nothing’s going to happen here,” nothing will happen, I guarantee it. But if you go in with an expectation of success, it is amazing how much better you’ll listen.
That’s right, you’ll listen better, hear more things, find opportunities.
If I put two people in a room: one with a great attitude expecting success, and one a negative Nelly, and I give them the same list, guess what? The negative Nelly will come out of it with zero, and the person who has that success mindset is going to come out of it ahead.
6. Know your contact. The days of just randomly grabbing a phone book and calling people are gone.
Okay, now there are some SDRs out there who still are just given lists. I get that, but that’s becoming a smaller and smaller field all the time.
You may not know your contact personally, but do know the industry they’re in. Sure, you may not have had time to do a deep dive into their website, their company, and their personal profiles every time. But any amount of background knowledge gives you a greater level of confidence.
Remember, confidence makes you listen better.
via The Maury Show on GIPHY7. Know your outcome.
If you don’t know the outcomes your customers achieve, you’re too focused on the product.
Don’t sell the product. Sell the outcome.
When you sell the outcome, the customer is going to understand the value you offer much better and much faster.
8. Play the long game.Prospecting is not something you do one hour a month. “Well, I tried it for a couple days, it didn’t work, so I guess I can’t prospect.” Nope.
Mentally prepare yourself that it is going to take time to fill your pipeline.
9. Remove the negativity.If you have negative people that you hang out with, you can’t afford it. There may be news sites, things that you listen to, watch, or read that are negative. Get them out because it’s amazing how it eats away at your mindset.
Prospecting is already tough enough. But when you have the right mental outlook, it’s amazing how much easier it is.
10. You need a support person.You need a champion, an accountability partner, somebody who can come alongside you.
If you are looking for somebody like that, reach out to me because I have some ways to match people up. Reach out and grab me on that!
4 Ways to Make Sales Less ComplicatedUncomplicate your prospecting and sales process with these four tips.
The Perfect Plan for Sales, Business, and Life with Don Barden
Episode 70 available Thursday, 2/2! Subscribe today!
Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post Prospecting Is a Mental Game first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
January 30, 2023
The Top 10 Episodes for The Sales Hunter Podcast
See one you didn’t catch in 2022? Add these to your ‘listen list’ and don’t forget to subscribe to The Sales Hunter Podcast!
Click the images to listen on your favorite podcast app.
Episode 10Selling a Product v.s. Selling a SolutionMark and Jeff Bajorek compare notes on how to become a person worth talking to, and having something worth talking about.
Which do you do more? Talking, or learning?
Episode 183 Steps to Make Outbound EasierA cold call is not a mini-sales call. Jason Bay teaches how we can warm it up into a conversation between peers.
What insights could you share that would make their time worth it even if they don’t move forward with you?
Episode 115 Ways to Take Your Sales to the Next LevelMark dives into why we sell, and how to find a powerful why.
Episode 26How Salespeople Can Build Trust and Close DealsLarry Levine shares how to work discussions of trust into our conversations with customers by leaning in and getting to know them.
Larry and Mark share how it is possible, and discuss the non-negotiables great salespeople (and human beings) simply aren’t willing to sacrifice to make a deal.
Episode 34What Mindset Separates Average from a Top Performer?We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. Donald Kelly, The Sales Evangelist, shows how mindset is often what separates top performers from the pack of average.
Episode 35How High Performers Overcome IndecisionMost salespeople meet customer indecision with fanfare of ROI data; why their solution is better, faster, or cheaper—maybe even fake urgency.
Matt Dixon shares how these tactics are statistically proven to work against us… and only deepen a customer’s indecisiveness.
Episode 37 6 Habits of Top Performing Salespeople
Success in sales isn’t all about the product you sell, or the customers you have. It starts with you.
Episode 52How Top Salespeople Prepare for the Day, Then Conquer ItWhat are your non-negotiables today? Is everything on your to-do list mission critical?
Carson Heady shares how to use every resource at your disposal to show up, invest in relationships, and create value.
Episode 36 7 Email Prospecting Strategies that Work
Let’s improve the content of your email, as well as the response rate.
You don’t want emails that just get opened, you want them to start a conversation–and lead to a sale!
Episode 62 Unlocking Success on LinkedInCould your social media habits be sabotaging your ability to reach people on LinkedIn?
Richard Bliss shares practical ways to make your activity on LinkedIn effective and reach a wider audience
Thank you to our listeners, and to each of our 43 guests who brought such valuable insights to the show.Cheers to Year #2!
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Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post The Top 10 Episodes for The Sales Hunter Podcast first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
January 25, 2023
How Prospecting Rules Have Changed for 2023
I’ll give you 10 things that you need to be on alert for with regards to prospecting in this new economy.
1. Engage the CEODoes it have to be the CEO? No, but you have to be prepared to go further up the food chain than ever before because budgets are tighter this year. People are more cautious, which means decision-making typically made lower down in an organization is going to be made further up.
That means you better be prepared to get those relationships in place and start engaging people further up the food chain now.
via James Thacher on GIPHY2. Radio silence
Customers are going to go radio silent and you better be prepared to counter it. Since decisions are being slowed and people are being more cautious, there’s a tendency to go radio silent because they want to check out competition. You’ve got to keep in front of them.
One of the best techniques that I love to do is automatically send them some insights, or some information to show to them how beneficial you’re going to be to them as an organization. It’s not just, “Hey, let’s talk.” Instead, it’s showing up with value from the get-go.
It’s one of the easiest ways to break that radio silence.
3. Be laser focused
It’s going to be tempting to sit there and chase the shiny object, but right now more than ever you better stay in your sandbox.
You need to be laser focused to understand exactly what’s happening in your industry, with your competitive set and your customers, because your intel is going to keep you at the front of the pack.
4. De-educate the customer
Customers are trying to do all this information gathering on their own, and as a result, they’re finding a lot of bad information. It’s your job to come in and be able to verify, and when necessary, de-educate.
It’s possible what they think they need doesn’t contribute to the solution they’re looking for. Or perhaps it isn’t going to be the best strategy to help them achieve their outcome. You have to de-educate them first so you can educate them.
via walter_ on GIPHY5. Your personal reputation
It’s not your company reputation, it’s your personal reputation that matters. Let’s not kid ourselves. There are multiple companies out there that probably sell and provide what you provide.
What’s going to be the distinguishing difference? You. You better be watching and protecting your personal reputation more than ever right now.
Click the image for more, or read more information below. ⬇️ 6. LinkedIn and social mediaLinkedIn is without a doubt a valuable tool since so many people go there. Whether or not your industry is on LinkedIn, there are still industries out there where people prefer checking you out on Google.
If they’re checking you out on Google, chances are your LinkedIn profile’s coming up first. Therefore, you better make sure that you’re engaging and not just a ghost profile out there with no posts.
7. Bigger networkListen to Ep. 62 of The Sales Hunter Podcast for game-changing tips for LinkedIn from expert Richard Bliss.
Of course, this isn’t just a game to see how many people you can get to know, but rather it’s a process of staying engaged with people who are in your circle.
A bigger network helps because more people are going to be challenging more things before they make a decision. Not to mention a larger network means greater opportunities for referrals.
8. More contacts
The bigger your network, the more contacts you’re going to have. This is going to work to your advantage because in dealing with a company, you may normally sell to two or three people. Now it may be four to eight people.
You’re going to need more contacts within the organization to complete the same amount of transactions as you did last year.
via Matthew Butler on GIPHY9. In-person engagement
During COVID, we all learned how to sell online. In-person is worth a lot now because it hasn’t been done in a long time.
It could even be as easy as attending a conference or a trade show.
I get it, sometimes your customers are everywhere and you can’t go see them all. However, you may have an in-person relationship with someone who in turn has an in-person relationship with your customer.
10. Referrals
Referrals are without a doubt gold. They’re one of the most effective ways to grow your network and amazing opportunities to increase revenue.
The trick is: how do I ask for a referral? When? Who? A great place to start is giving your own referrals; you have to give to get.
Read this article for tips on how to ask for referrals.
OR, I went in-depth on this topic in my Referrals Masterclass. Those that master the art of referrals are bound for the Top 1% of Salespeople. It’s that important of a skill!
Available 1/26: How to Be More Valuable to Your Customerswith guest Matt Heinz 
AVAILABLE NOWTop Performers Have a Routine…Do You?Find it anywhere you listen to podcasts.
What’s keeping you from being in the top 1% of all salespeople? Don’t say you can’t do it, I’m here to show you how. January 31, I’ll show you the exact steps salespeople in the top 1% did to get there and stay there. I’ll give you the playbook they use, and how they make it happen. Join me live or get the recording.
Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post How Prospecting Rules Have Changed for 2023 first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
January 18, 2023
How to Start Selling Your Outcome
Instead, I want you to focus 100% on selling the outcomes you allow your customer to achieve. That’s what your customer is looking for, they don’t need another widget, they need a solution.
In my book A Mind for Sales I talk extensively about this, and be sure to watch the video clip below from my sales kickoff keynote.
Focusing on your customer is about listening first to create a level of trust and confidence.Your customer is never going to confide in you until they first trust you. Building trust begins with you by not putting your objectives ahead of the customers. Instead, it’s about serving the customer, and it starts with listening. How? It begins with the questions you ask.
When you’re preparing for a sales call, how much time do you spend thinking about what you want to say versus the questions you want to ask?
I contend we need to spend far more time thinking about the questions we want to ask.
via US National Archives on GIPHY
If you fail to have eight questions at minimum to ask a customer anytime you meet with them, then you’re doing both you and the customer a disservice. Eight is not a magic number, but it is the number I’ve found that requires some serious thinking. Typically on any call there’s little chance you would even get to ask all eight. The key is this, you’re prepared, plus you never want to run out of potential questions you can ask.
Asking questions is a key part of listening–the better your questions the more listening you get to do.
Sadly, many salespeople look upon listening as a passive activity, or the period of time to catch their breath before speaking again. That’s not selling, that’s manipulation!
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Visit this link to catch this deal!
Available Wednesday, Jan. 18th only.Don’t miss it! Listening is action oriented.It’s listening to understand, because your job is to take their comment and ask a follow-up question about it.
The key in building trust is allowing the other person to know you genuinely care about them and their needs.
Don’t go there by jumping into your product pitch. At this point your product is not part of the solution, it’s part of the problem!
via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY
Our goal always has to be focused on understanding the outcomes the customer is looking for. The real prize for the customer is when we are able to help them see and achieve what they didn’t think was possible. Chew on that last line for a minute and ask yourself what it means.
It’s at this point where the conversation moves to a deeper level.When you and the customer are truly interacting and the questions and comments are flowing freely between both parties, it’s a reflection of trust and confidence as you begin helping them see an outcome they didn’t think was possible.
This is what sales is all about; it’s at this point the customer, because they trust you, is moving themselves into a different mindset.
In my job I have this happen frequently. A customer may be wanting me to speak at their sales meeting, but through our conversation and the development of trust and confidence the customer sees an even bigger outcome they need help with. For example, the result may include me doing a keynote at their sales meeting followed by some coaching of their sales managers.
Sales is not as hard as people make it out to be.It’s about having a conversation where you put the customer first. It’s a conversation centered around the questions you ask to help understand the customer’s desired outcome clearly.
When you know the desired outcome, you’re now in a position to help them see what’s possible.
Read more for 6 Things Customers Need Before They Buy
Available now: Ep. 65: How to Maintain a Positive Sales MindsetCurious on how to lead in a challenging marketplace (and possible recession?)
Download this Thursday’s episode with Meridith Elliott Powell for tips on how to lead during times of uncertainty.
Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post How to Start Selling Your Outcome first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
January 11, 2023
Why Passion in Sales is Powerful
In my book, A Mind for Sales I write about this factor a lot, as I’m a firm believer it is the cornerstone of sales.
Sales is not about what we sell, sales is about helping the customer see and achieve what they didn’t think was possible.
Far too much time is spent by salespeople on product knowledge and far too little time spent on customer knowledge.
Think about when you started your new sales job. I imagine the company spent far more time walking you through all of the details of the products or services than on how to sell. No wonder salespeople are product-centric, since from day one that’s where the focus has been.
Our customers don’t care what we’re selling. What they’re looking for are solutions to their challenges. The problem is we don’t spend enough time with our customers to understand their challenge at a deeper level.
In my first book I write about a car buying experience my wife had. The salesperson only had one thing in mind: telling her about the 4-wheel drive and how the SUV would never get stuck. The salesperson couldn’t stop talking about the size of the engine and its acceleration. None of this mattered to my wife, the only things she cared about was great heated seats and an awesome sound system. Everything else was noise and ultimately a distraction.
via ABC Network on GIPHY
The salesperson lost the sale for one simple reason. He was caught up in the product and never took the time to listen to my wife. If he had listened, he would have closed the sale quickly. The sale broke down for one simple reason: the salesperson failed to care and was not interested in asking questions or understanding the customer.
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Click here for more information on the January 18th sale!
Sales does not have to be as hard as it’s made out to be IF we’re passionate about the customer.A few days ago I found myself on the phone with a company looking to hire me to speak at their sales kickoff meeting. They shared the date, the city, how long they wanted me to speak, how many people would be attending and then they asked what my fee was.
How could I give them a fee when I don’t know the outcome they’re looking for? How could I know if I was even the right fit for them?
What the company shared with me was just facts, they didn’t share the reason why. The missing ingredient was the need for a conversation, so I began asking questions to get them to share more. If I had failed to engage them in a meaningful conversation, I would have been doing both them and me a disservice.
via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY
This is what makes sales great, it’s not a product or service being sold or bought, it’s conversation to understand the best solution. When we’re passionate about the customer they can see it, feel it, and hear it quickly in how we interact with them.
This quickly became apparent to the company I was talking to. It didn’t take long after they had done their list dump and I began engaging in conversation for them to realize I had their interest placed ahead of mine. Passion is huge in sales, it’s far more powerful than we realize.
When we have passion, the conversations change. There’s an important shift from the salesperson doing all the talking to the customer doing most of the talking.
There’s a big reason why I say sales is not a job, it’s not even a profession but rather a lifestyle. When we are passionate about helping people it comes across in everything we do 24/7. It’s not like we turn it on to sell and then turn it off. Being passionate is part of our DNA.
Read more tips for How to Quit Closing Sales and Start Opening Relationships.
Recently I was having lunch with another salesperson who, like me, sees sales as a lifestyle. Our conversation was incredibly engaging, so much so our waitperson even joined in. Think about that for a moment, the waitperson in a busy restaurant at noon suddenly stopping to engage with us. Sure we can all say the reason was simple; they were working for their tip— but it shows something else. When you’re engaging, it brings out the best in others, changes how they see things, and what they say. Being passionate about serving others is contagious.
via GIPHY
Ok, you’re wondering if we left a bigger tip, of course we did. Now, here’s where the difference becomes huge: I don’t remember a thing about our lunch conversation, I doubt the person I was eating with or the waitperson does either. We forget the words spoken very quickly, but we don’t forget how the other person makes us feel.
Being passionate with others you meet will change dramatically how they feel about you after the conversation is over.
I hope if you have not already you’ll pick up a copy of A Mind For Sales for one reason: reading it will change the way you look at sales. You’ll never look at another customer the same as you did before.
The Best New Sales Podcast…new episodes every Monday and Thursday!Available now: 7 Time Secrets of Highly Effective People
This Thursday: Episode 64, How to Focus on Effectiveness, not Efficiency w/ George BrontenMore tools is not always better. Listen as George and Mark discuss how to multiply efficiency and effectiveness.
Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post Why Passion in Sales is Powerful first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
January 4, 2023
How Top Salespeople Win the Day
They have a very succinct strategy because the only day we can truly impact is today.
Yesterday has passed, and tomorrow is yet to come. Today is for making a difference.
1. AttitudeTop performers don’t moan and groan when Monday rolls around. They’re excited, and seek to make Mondays absolutely successful.
Mondays is without a doubt, the best day of the week because it sets the tone for the week. Top performers have an attitude of success and expectation of being able to influence and impact other people.
2. RoutineHave a routine and stick with it. That means every day: this is what it looks like.
I look at many, many top performers and as I’ve studied their calendars, it’s amazing how every day at 9:00 is the same thing.
Whatever time your day starts, those first few hours are crucial for setting the tone and expectations for the day.
3. Goal focused
They don’t deviate from their goals. Every day might not move them closer to their goal, but they know that every day they’re going to work on their goal.
I set goals, and I review them daily. And all my activities that I’m doing over the course of the day are geared to help me achieve those goals.
Are there some days that just don’t work out? Yes. But you know what? I know if I just stay focused and stay consistent, I’ll get there.
via ABC Network on GIPHY4. The 10:00 AM rule
Set your alarm for 10:00 AM because when it goes off, I want you to ask yourself, “What have I achieved of significance already today?”
Now let’s say from 10:01 on, your day falls apart. You’ve still had a great day because you accomplished something significant before 10:00 AM.
via GIPHY
If, on the other hand, you accomplish something significant and it doesn’t fall apart, guess what? You’re empowered. You’re feeling good, and it’s amazing how much more you do that day.
Now, I get up at 4:30 in the morning, so if you’re an early riser like me, try an 8:00 AM rule.
5. Clear objectivesI set my week, or my day with the objectives I’m going to accomplish. But what about those times that I may get to 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. and I haven’t achieved those objectives? I’m going to stay focused and get those objectives accomplished–even if that means staying up late.
Sure, life happens. But when you set up daily objectives and you fail to achieve them, you’ve actually cheated yourself.
6. Expectation to winThere’s a reason why top performing teams win the close games, because they just have an expectation to win. Average people settle for average. “It is what it is…”
Sure, the sun will come up in the morning, but I’m still going to figure out a way to win.
7. GratitudeAbsolute gratitude, thankful. One of the things that I do every morning is take a moment to be thankful. I have a quiet time where I’m reflecting on those who have impacted me.
I’m thinking of those who I’ll be talking to over the course of the day, and I have a sense of gratitude.
Yes, I’m a very spiritual person. I love my faith and I spend time in gratitude for what I’ve been given.
via GIPHY8. Respect for others
You can’t demonstrate gratitude without having respect for others. When I have a respect for others, it’s amazing how doors just seem to open up. I can’t tell you the number of times when I’ve done some of the simplest things for others, and I don’t even do it with an expectation of anything in return. Stuff just happens!
Just spend time listening to somebody and it’s amazing what you’ll hear. Respect changes what you think of yourself, and you realize that you can learn from every other person out there.
9. No flinchingThere are curve balls that are thrown at you, but no flinching. You just put it aside, and keep going.
Look at a top performing athlete. They may miss a shot, or do something unexpected, but they put it aside and they power back up.
I may have a call that doesn’t go the way I want it to, or something breaks or my computer dies, but I’m not going to allow it to take time away
via nobodies. on GIPHY10. Unbelievable commitment
They are committed to their success, and that means soaking up all learning possible. Are you going to read this blog today and do nothing? Or will you find a golden nugget (or two) to apply this week?
Want to read more? Read my 15 Traits of a Top Performer in Part I here and Part II here.
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast…Richard Bliss shares practical ways to make your activity on LinkedIn reach a wider audience. Unlocking Success on LinkedIn
Learn how posts and comments matter, and how to bring content to your connections without sacrificing value. Available Thursday, 1/5!
Available now: Sales is Not a Profession, It’s a Lifestyle
How are your Email Prospecting skills?What about Phone Prospecting?
Could you be using these tools better? Invest in yourself with a masterclass from The Sales Hunter University.
We’re award-winning for a reason!
See why and enroll in whatever your skill set needs today.
Copyright 2023, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post How Top Salespeople Win the Day first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
December 28, 2022
How to Become a Top Performing Salesperson: Part II
However, if you do these 15 things and you stick to it, I guarantee you will become a top performing salesperson.
This is part II of 15 things that you have the capability to do right now to become a top performer. If you want #1-7, click here for Part I.
8. Commitment to a solutionTop performing salespeople are always committed to staying in their lane and finding a solution for the customer.
The commitment to the solution might mean referring that customer to somebody else. It might mean owning up to the fact that you’re not capable of handling it.
That is an unwavering support that keeps top performers in the game.
9. Continuous learningThey’re always learning new things about their customers, the industry, and how to work with their customers.
They have a thirst to know more information, because that’s how to know they’ve become more valuable to their customers.
10. ListeningWhat sales skill can you improve for 2023? Check out The Sales Hunter University for masterclass options.
Why should I show up to a customer and just spout off? If all I’m doing is spouting off, they can go to YouTube and find a video on that.
Listening is about dialoguing, understanding, and questioning. The greatest listening technique that top performing salespeople do is: ask a question, and with whatever it is the customer shares, turn around and ask another question to build on it.
It’s not about, “Wow, I have this list of 10 questions that I need to power through.”
11. Support teamThese are people around that help top performers achieve their tasks. That team might be customer service, your boss, other salespeople, but there’s a support team.
Now, you may be a solopreneur and you say, “Mark, I am my own salesperson. I don’t have a support team.” In fact you do because you have others around you who you can turn to for guidance.
via BuzzFeed on GIPHY
12. Having a servant attitudeIt’s not about you, it’s about putting the other person first. A servant attitude is saying, ‘I’m going to serve other people’.
I serve on several boards of non-profit groups. Sure, it takes time away from me, but I love doing it because it’s part of my servant attitude. What I’ve found is that the more I give of myself, the more I get back. It’s amazing how I’ve grown personally, professionally, mentally–in so many different ways.
13. BalanceDoes balance mean you’re spending equal time doing everything? No, balance means that you have your rhythm.
It’s not everything being equal, but they know that when they’re in the groove of spending time with their family, they’re 100% there. And likewise when they’re in the groove working,
14. Optimists play the long gameHere are 10 ways salespeople can organize their time and goals.
Pessimists play the short game. “Oh, there’s no deal to be made here. This is bad and that is bad.” Optimists always know that there’s a solution. In addition, they always know that times will get better, and as a result they keep their mindset focused on the long game.
Talk to the top performing salesperson, and many times they’ll have 25 year goals that they’re going to achieve. Do you?
15. Belief in youDive into short and long-term goals in Mark’s Goal Setting Masterclass. Or get the Annual Planning Masterclass bundled with Goal Setting for the price of one!
You believe in yourself, not from an arrogant standpoint, but with a level of humbleness in knowing that you have the ability to impact and influence other people. To do that you must have a strong belief in yourself.
That’s not arrogance. It’s really about being authentic, and having a level of trust and confidence that you inspire in others because you’ve already placed it in yourself.
via QuickBooks on GIPHY
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast…We often ask our customers what their criteria is for bringing in a new vendor, but what about your criteria for a new customer? Shari Levitin shares her own success with video selling, and how you can take advantage of a skill that is still novel in the industry.
Tune in Thursday, 12/29.
What you missed on Monday…10 Reasons to Love Sales
Why the best salespeople are passionate about their career.
Copyright 2022, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post How to Become a Top Performing Salesperson: Part II first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
December 21, 2022
How to Become a Top Performing Salesperson
It’s not what you sell. It’s the why and the how you sell that make it happen.
First, why do you sell? Because you’re helping customers achieve things that they didn’t think were possible. Next, your how is the process that you use. Let’s dive in on both.
1. MindsetThis is why I wrote the book, A Mind for Sales, because it’s all focused around your mindset in terms of being able to achieve because you know you can.
If you doubt yourself going into a transaction, your customers will doubt you also. A positive attitude shapes everything. Also, it opens your mind up to listen and understand better.
I see this all the time in myself. If I’m practicing a top-level mindset, it’s amazing what I’m hearing from my customers. Plus I’m able to help them in more ways, and in turn achieve more business because of it.
2. Goal-focusedTop performers review their goals every morning. This morning I reviewed my goals, did you? Every morning I review my goals, and I ask myself, what are the activities I’m going to do today that are going to help move me closer to achieving my goals?
By the way, top performer goals are not easy goals. They’re big goals! And they know that achieving the goal is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Initially, it’s just a mass of pieces. But as you begin to put the pieces together, it’s amazing how the picture becomes clear. In fact, you begin picking up momentum and you’re able to see how things fit together. It’s the same when you’re goal-focused.
via JDL Creative on GIPHY3. Peer set
Who are you spending time with?
You’ve heard, “You become the sum of the five people you associate with the most.” Isn’t your goal is to lift yourself and others up?
I’m currently in a mastermind with three other people. It’s amazing–the conversations we have today are dramatically different from what we had three years ago because we’ve all moved to the next level collectively.
via CBC on GIPHY
4. Time managementTime is the one asset nobody can make more of. All we can do is utilize the time we have more efficiently, and more effectively.
Top-performing salespeople block their calendar. I block my calendar with almost every hour of the day. Of course, I leave white space in there for things that just emerge. Otherwise, I know exactly what I’m going to be doing, and I stay focused on that.
5. Focus and disciplineRead these 6 Ways Great Salespeople Master Their Time.
Focus and discipline affects mindset, your goals and your time management.
If you don’t have a morning routine, start one. It puts the rest of the day in motion. I go through the same workout and quiet time seven days a week, and because I start off the day disciplined and focused, the rest of the day remains that way.
6. Clear customer outcomesTop-performing sales people don’t try creating world peace, or solving world hunger–although those are noble causes. Instead, as a professional they know the customer outcomes they can create, and they stay focused on that.
It’s about being absolutely laser focused on staying in your lane.
via GIPHY7. Simplicity and repetition
Top-performing sales people don’t view things in a complex manner. Instead, they keep a simple, repetitive routine.
For instance, I know top-performing salespeople who literally have the same thing to eat every day because they don’t want to waste their time. Steve Jobs always wore a black turtleneck because he didn’t want to waste time thinking about what to wear.
Brilliant people are very simplistic. Stay in that mode.
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast…Why do we spend only 28% of our time selling? Why do 50% of us still miss quota?Our guest Tiffani Bova shares how sales reps and managers can work together to do better. Episode 58 Available Now!
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via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY
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Copyright 2022, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post How to Become a Top Performing Salesperson first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
December 14, 2022
7 Tips to Maximize Time for Prospecting
If someone doesn’t spend enough time prospecting due to poor time management –it’s really a priority problem.
How can you utilize your time to prospect more effectively, and have more time to prospect?
Here are seven tips to get you on the right track.
1. Know the selling hoursIn other words, what are the hours of the day / the days of the week that are optimal for you to be on the phone engaging with customers?
It might be between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM, depending on the industry. It might be Tuesdays through Friday, or Mondays through Thursdays. There are all of these optimal periods–figure yours out–that’s when you should be prospecting.
2. Block the time on your calendarPut it on your calendar and live your calendar. Too many people would say, “Well, I’ll prospect when I take care of everything else.”
Change it to, “I have dedicated prospecting time. This is the window, I’m going to focus on it.”
via CBC on GIPHY3. Feed the list
This means you prep the list before you begin to call. What I see happening too often is someone spending all their time during their prospecting block thinking about who to prospect.
No, you feed the list by building it ahead of time, and knowing exactly what you’re going to do.
Check out these 7 Phone Prospecting Shortcuts
4. Remove distractionsStarting and stopping tasks is proven to kill productivity.
This might be shutting off email, or getting rid of other windows that are open on your computer. Removing distractions might also be turning off music (or turning on music!).
5. Pre-prospecting drillThis is mental preparation so you’re ready to make it happen.
Think about this: before a team takes the field–what do they do? They’re in the locker room beforehand, and they’re going through their last moment instructions. Even before the game, they come out and they practice. They go through drills. They know when game time starts, they have to be ready.
You have to do the same thing. This might be looking over your list of outcomes that you’ve been able to help customers successfully achieve. Because looking through all the successes that you’ve had helps get you in the right mental state.
via ABC Network on GIPHY6. Manage your expectations
Prospecting is very much an activity. Although many times it feels like, “I’m not getting anywhere.” Actually, you are getting somewhere if you’re simply doing the activity!
I get it, it may feel stressful “in the moment” because conversations don’t always go as we hoped. It’s okay. It takes time. Almost no sale is made on the first call. Or the second or the third.
Manage your expectations to complete the activities you have.
7. Use your CRMDon’t think, “Well, I’ll update my CRM at the end of the week.”
No, stay current. Your CRM is your greatest tool to help you prospect more effectively. Use it!
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast… How to Increase Your Closing Ratio
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Copyright 2022, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post 7 Tips to Maximize Time for Prospecting first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
December 7, 2022
10 Steps to a Great Prospecting Cadence
More than likely, it produces frustrating results, and discouragement. Doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity, right?
I believe prospecting works if you do it right, and I’ve got 10 steps to help you do that.
1. Know the purchase frequency.If you don’t understand how frequently your customers buy, you won’t really understand what the right cadence should be. The cadence must be based around the purchase frequency.
If somebody is purchasing what you sell on a weekly basis, you can reach out to them a couple times a week. If, however, what they buy is a capital expenditure with five year contracts, that’s going to have a much different look and feel to it.
2. Isolate the person you’re prospecting.I talk a lot about ICP, ideal customer profile. In fact, you can identify yours by taking my ICP Masterclass here.
In addition, isolate the type of person. I was speaking to a gentleman the other day who landed a seven-figure enterprise deal with 500 different contacts.
In communicating with many people, you need to understand the type of person you’re reaching out to, because that’s going to impact the messaging, the cadence, and process you’ll use. For example, you won’t reach out to a lower-level manager with the same frequency as you do with someone in the c-suite.
3. Leverage current conditions.What’s happening out there with the economy? With the industry? And their competitors?
One of the things that you can use to really accelerate the impact of your cadence is by tying into current conditions out there.
via HULU on GIPHY4. Understand the fit.
When you first begin prospecting, you’re not quite sure what the details of the outcome will be. But you do understand the fit–how you are going to be able to help them.
This includes not only the expected outcome, but how you’re going to onboard them, how they’re going to utilize you, how the whole relationship is going to work.
Understanding the fit will prevent you from getting into situations that you can’t leverage, you can’t maximize, and it’s going to leave a bad taste in the customer’s mouth.
5. Educate or convert.If they’re currently buying from somebody else, then what you’re really doing is converting. If on the other hand, what you’re selling is a totally new product or service, you have to first educate.
Educating is probably going to require a tremendous amount of pre-prospecting, linking with marketing, and using other tools to help create awareness.
Conversion on the other hand is going to have a different look and feel than educating, so your strategy will be different. It’s more about the product, the outcome, and here’s why we’re different.
via Married At First Sight on GIPHY
Prospecting is not a waste of time. Let’s get really good at it. Register for Mark’s live workshop here.
6. Make it about them.It’s not about how many years your company’s been in business, or how many customers. No, it’s about them.
All of your messaging needs to be about them, because they didn’t wake up wanting to help you. They woke up this morning needing help solving their problems. Big difference.
via FOX TV on GIPHY7. Match the medium.
For some industries, it’s all about the phone, whereas for others it’s all about email–or even text messaging! You have to match the medium.
It’s not necessarily what you think the medium is. One of the big fallacies is I see salespeople crank out emails on their laptop without thinking about how the prospect will read it. The problem is, their prospect is viewing it on a smartphone and it’s going to look totally different.
Suddenly, what you think is a short email appears to be a long email on a smartphone.
8. Build the calendar.
Don’t start what you can’t finish. I see salespeople start a prospecting program, but they can’t keep up the repetition.
Prospecting is about repetition. Prospecting is about follow-up, and follow-through. By utilizing your calendar, you’ll know if you are going to be able to manage the necessary steps you’ll need to take.
It’s not time to boil the ocean! Because otherwise, you’re just doing a bunch of one-off stuff that’s not going to create any impact at all.
9. Create engagement.It’s not about just throwing your name out there, it’s about creating engagement. You want to create dialogue.
Think about the great customers that you have: you have a relationship with them. I want to create engagement to then allow me to build a relationship.
10. Rinse and repeat.
As I said before, prospecting is about repetition. However, rinse does not mean you send the same message out ten times.
No, rinse is just like with a bottle of shampoo. You put fresh “shampoo” in your hair, but you repeat the process.
This week on The Sales Hunter Podcast…Brent Adamson and Mark discuss indicators worth paying attention to, qualifying out a prospect early, and how to move the deal along successfully.
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Available to listen NOW:How to Turn Leads into CustomersYou have better leads than you realize!
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Copyright 2022, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results .
The post 10 Steps to a Great Prospecting Cadence first appeared on The Sales Hunter.
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