Mark Hunter's Blog, page 63
November 14, 2018
Overcoming the Fear of Disrupting Others When Prospecting
There are more prospecting traps salespeople fall into than customers, and one of the biggest ones is thinking you shouldn’t prospect because all you’re doing is interrupting people. This trap not only harms salespeople, but also customers just as much.
If you believe in how you can help others and how your customers are able to achieve an outcome not possible unless they bought from you, then you owe it to others to reach out. Failing to reach out to others is a failure to help them. There’s no way you can help others unless they buy from you, and they won’t be in a position to buy from you unless you first reach out to them.
It’s time for you to view interrupting a prospect as doing them a favor. You might be thinking that’s a weird statement, but think about how you help others. You truly do help others because of the product or service you sell.
Each week I interrupt people with the calls I make, but I know I can help them. I believe so strongly that my calls to prospects are doing them a favor. They may not realize it initially when I call, but I know if I can have a conversation with them, I can begin getting them to see the value I can bring.
Watch this 78-second video:
Sales is about helping others see and achieve what they didn’t think was possible. View what you do not as prospecting but as being on a mission to help others. Yes, some may reject your help, but that’s life. Nobody’s perfect — not you and not even your prospects.
This week view the calls you’re going to make as being a service. It’s the first step in you being able to help others.
Are you ready to have me speak at your next sales kick-off meeting? I sure hope you are! The calendar for 2019 is filling up and we need to talk ASAP to make sure I’m part of your sales meeting. Call me at 402-445-2110 or email me at Mark@TheSalesHunter.com.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 13, 2018
Who are You Learning From? OutBound is the Place to Learn!
There are three things you need to do if you’re a student of sales and looking to be the best you can be. First, follow each of the people below. Second, read their books. And third, make sure you attend OutBound 2019 .
I’m making it easy for you. Below is a list of all the presenters, their websites, LinkedIn profiles and Twitter handles, as well as at least one of their books and the Amazon link to buy it. Yes, that’s easy, but it’s up to you to make it happen
And be sure to register for OutBound 2019 at this link . Use my code Mark100 to save $100.
Mark Hunter, CSP, “The Sales Hunter” / Mark on LinkedIn / @TheSalesHunter / “High-Profit Prospecting”
Jeb Blount / Jeb on LinkedIn / @SalesGravy / “The Ultimate Guide for Mastering Objections”
Anthony Iannarino / Anthony on LinkedIn / @Iannarino / “The Lost Art of Closing”
Mike Weinberg / Mike on LinkedIn / @Mike_Weinberg / “Sales Management Simplified”
Jeffrey Gitomer, CSP CPAE / Jeffrey on LinkedIn / @Gitomer / “The Sales Bible”
Victor Antonio / Victor on LinkedIn / @VictorAntonio / “Sales Ex Machina”
Andrea Waltz / Andrea on LinkedIn / @GoForNo / “Go For No for Network Marketing”
Bog Burg, CPAE / Bob on LinkedIn / @BobBurg / “The Go Giver”
Colleen Francis, CSP / Colleen on LinkedIn / @EngageColleen / “Nonstop Sales Boom”
“Waldo” Waldman, CSP, CPAE / Waldo on LinkedIn / “Never Fly Solo”
Larry Levine / Larry on LinkedIn / @SellFromHeart / “Selling from the Heart”
James Muir / James on LinkedIn / @B2B_SalesTips / “The Perfect Close”
Shari Levitin / Shari on LinkedIn / @ShariLevitin / “Heart and Sell”
Sam Richter, CSP / Sam on LinkedIn / @SamRichter / “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling”
Lee Salz / Lee on LinkedIn / @SalesArchitects / “Sales Differentiation”
Meridith Elliott Powell, CSP / Meridith on LinkedIn / @MeridithPowell / “Own It: Redefining Responsibility”
Jennifer Gluckow / Jennifer on LinkedIn / @JENinaNYminute / “Sales in a New York Minute”
Chris Beall / Chris on LinkedIn / @ConnectAndSell
Max Altschuler / Max on LinkedIn / @HackItMax / “Hacking Sales”
As you can see, there are countless reasons to sign up for OutBound. What are you waiting for? Register today for OutBound 2019 and use code Mark100 to save $100.
Are you ready to have me speak at your next sales kick-off meeting? I sure hope you are! The calendar for 2019 is filling up and we need to talk ASAP to make sure I’m part of your sales meeting. Call me at 402-445-2110 or email me at Mark@TheSalesHunter.com.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 12, 2018
Sales Motivation Video: Success is What You Will Do Today
Success is not what you did yesterday, that’s history. Success is what you will do today and that is what makes each day special. Each day provides you with the opportunity to make it outstanding and achieve a level of success you never thought would be possible.
Check out the video to see what I mean:
Are you ready to have me speak at your next sales kick-off meeting? I sure hope you are! The calendar for 2019 is filling up and we need to talk ASAP to make sure I’m part of your sales meeting. Call me at 402-445-2110 or email me at Mark@TheSalesHunter.com.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 9, 2018
Sales Leadership – Caution Rough Road Ahead!
Politics has always been a slippery slope when it comes to sales, and the last few years the road has become very icy and a lot of oncoming traffic. When it comes to politics and sales, the number one thing is to respect the other person, regardless of what they may or may not say.
I have customers who represent every imaginable political position. I’ve learned this through various conversations with them and I’m fine with it. My objective is to first respect everyone and second to keep focused on the big picture.
Here are my guidelines I use when talking with others:
Respect everyone. Just as I have an opinion, so too does everyone else.
Be the optimist in everything. The world has enough negative people. There is no need to add fuel to the fire. We become like who we associate with the most. There’s a reason why negative people have negative friends, and it’s the same reason why optimists have optimistic friends. I always seek to find the positive…the good in everything and everybody.
Don’t over analyze. Don’t read more into what people are saying than necessary. It’s amazing how easy it can be to take one comment a person makes and suddenly turn it into a conspiracy theory.
Relax. Be slow to form an opinion. The sun will still come up in the morning. No need to panic with what someone says or doesn’t say. It’s not going to change the course of mankind. Don’t rush in forming an opinion, as the only thing it will do is rush you to make a bad decision.
Don’t fall for the baited comments or questions. This one is dangerous and it is happening not only in conversations, but also in social media. Be cautious in how you respond, because it’s amazing how quickly things can become misinterpreted. With this one there is no perfect answer. It truly is an icy road ahead!
Don’t burn the bridge or Rome. Just because you don’t agree with somebody on an issue, this isn’t a reason to cut them off. No two people are alike in everything. If I cut off everyone who doesn’t line up 100% with what I think, then I will be living on a deserted island.
Calm rules the day. It’s amazing how fired up people become with the language they use. I see and hear this a lot. There’s no place at all for foul or crass language on social media or in a conversation. Only thing it does is mess with your brain and get you viewing everything negatively.
Engage in conversations, not lectures. Last thing I want is a lecture, either to hear one or to give one. Let’s not kid ourselves — a lecture is a waste, unless you want to burn a bridge.
Last week I was in three states — one heavy red, one heavy blue and the other split. As a result, I was with people from every perspective. For me it wasn’t an issue. Every topic imaginable came up and yet in the end I came back to a belief I’ve had for years — “With each conversation I have, I want to earn the right, privilege, honor and respect to be able to meet with that person again.” Make that your focus and you’ll be playing the long game, becoming a person of influence and impact.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 8, 2018
How Do I Prospect at a Trade Show?
How effective are trade shows as a selling opportunity? They’re not if all you do is show up and think business is going to fall into your lap. You have to look at trade shows as merely a platform from which to prospect and sell.
Let’s break this down and look at what we can do purely from a prospecting standpoint.
Remember that having a booth or being a sponsor is certainly a positive, but it’s not essential. There are numerous ways you can get business by just attending, and it starts with being visible and engaging. What does that mean?
If you’re attending from your company with another person, don’t hang out together. It blows my mind how multiple people from the same company will attend a trade show and then spend the entire time hanging out with each other. If this is your strategy, skip the trade show and just head to the beach.
Your results from a trade show begin long before it starts. Let prospects and customers know that you will be there. Set up times to meet with others, and when you do, make sure it is in a very public place. I like public places because I want to be seen by other people. I hope that as I’m meeting with someone, I will see somebody else to whom I can introduce to them. In so doing, I hope others do the same for me.
Be deliberate with the breakout sessions. Attend the ones your prospects are most likely to attend. I also prefer sitting in the back to be able to see who else is in the room — people I may want to make sure I say hello to at the end. Attending sessions means sticking around after the session ends, as that’s the time the truly great discussions with other people will take place.
When you’re not busy with people, spend your time at the entrance and exit areas of the trade show. If you’re going to see people, they’ll have to pass by you. Same goes for a hotel lobby. I can’t begin to tell you the number of new clients I’ve picked up simply by being in visible location.
The objective of meeting people at a trade show or conference is not to sell to them, unless you have a pre-arranged meeting. A trade show is a time to create a relationship and a follow-up conversation. I would much rather leave a trade show with three business cards of people with whom I’ve developed a good relationship than with 30 business cards of people I know zero about.
After the show is over, it is is imperative you follow up within 48 hours. If you wait days to connect with them, they won’t remember you at all. Your first connection is simply to deepen the relationship and to share a key insight you picked up at the event they will remember.
After you’ve had an exchange of comments, then you can begin to probe deeper about their issues. Don’t blow it by suddenly sending them your beautiful capabilities presentation about how wonderful you are. When you make the focus about them, it’s amazing how the opportunity for which you’re waiting will materialize.
There is a lot more regarding trade shows and how to leverage them than I can convey here. I suggest you take advantage of an on-line summit with 30+ presenters. Below is the link. It’s Nov. 13-15, so don’t wait…
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 7, 2018
Prospecting and How the Top Performers Do It
There are three big reasons why most salespeople fail to prospect. Ask yourself if this is you:
You dread prospecting and will make sure you’re occupied dealing with other things to keep you from having to prospect.
You expect others in your organization to prospect and deliver qualified leads.
You talk about prospecting but never do it because of other priorities (excuses).
These three excuses simply do not enter into the mind of a top performer. Top performing salespeople don’t view prospecting as an afterthought. They view it as a service in helping others. You see, the mind of a top performer doesn’t see prospecting as an activity, but rather as a lifestyle. They see it as the first step in allowing them to help others. They know what they do helps others and they embrace talking to prospects. Yes, even interrupting them when they weren’t expecting a call.
Check out this 97 second video about prospecting and top performers…
Top performers know a sale will never happen unless someone finds a qualified prospect, and they know there is nobody better to do it than them. This is why they schedule prospecting time in their day. They know unless they schedule the time they most likely will never get to it. Think of this as not being much different than working out at the gym. Unless you schedule time to go to the gym and make it part of your day, you won’t do it.
Average salespeople view prospecting as purely numbers; the number of calls to make or conversations to have or whatever other number they’re charged with achieving. Top performers view it as being part of their mission to help others. This week, look at prospecting as part of your mission to help others. View it not as an activity, but as a key element of your lifestyle.
Sales is the greatest profession in the world for one simple reason— it’s about helping others. When you believe you can help others, you want to tell others. When you find a great restaurant you don’t hesitate to tell others. You’re waiting in line to get into a movie and you suddenly find yourself telling strangers around you about another great movie they should see. In both cases you know what you’re doing. You’re selling and we might even say prospecting.
Believe in the outcome you provide. Make prospecting part of your lifestyle and you too may soon find yourself being a top performer.
Are you planning a sales kick-off meeting? If so, we need to talk and make sure your sales team gets off to a fast start in 2019. It is critical they know how to prospect. The calendar is filling up fast, but there are still dates open. We can create a plan to make sure you don’t just achieve your 2019 goals, but you exceed them.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 5, 2018
Sales Motivation Video: Great Salespeople are Proud of What They Do!
This isn’t about arrogance. It’s about being proud of what you do and the ways you help customers. When you are proud, you have the kind of attitude that others want to be around.
Check out the video to see what I mean:
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
November 2, 2018
Sales Leadership — The Two Words DO Go Together
The conversation wasn’t going well. When my Uber driver found out I was in sales, he began ranting that salespeople are just out to rip people off. One lesson I learned is when the person driving disagrees with you, it’s best to not argue back. Let’s just say it’s safer.
The driver ranted about how a friend of his got ripped off by a salesperson when buying a car. Needless to say, I didn’t get the full story, let alone the truth, but it’s irrelevant because in the mind of the driver, salespeople are not to be trusted. I exited the car wishing him the best and knowing there was little I was going to be able to do to change his mind.
Conversely, last week I spent some time with some amazing sales leaders who demonstrated integrity in everything they did. One of the leaders was Tom Ziglar, son of Zig Ziglar. Our conversation was 180 degrees from the conversation the Uber driver had with me.
We will never be able to control what everyone does, but what we can control is what we do. Sales leadership are two words that go together, and they go together when they’re built on a foundation of integrity.
I’m proud to be in sales. Yes, I wish I would have had more time to share with the Uber driver, but life goes on. All we can do is to live each day demonstrating sales leadership in everything we do and with everybody we meet.
And the Uber driver who complained about salespeople being evil? I still gave him a 5-star rating and a tip, because sales leaders are not vindictive.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
October 31, 2018
Speed Up Your Prospecting to Create More Value and Save Time
The race is on. We’re only weeks away from the end of the year, and this means more than ever time is of the utmost importance. Your customers don’t want to waste time they don’t have, and you don’t want to waste time on people who aren’t going to buy.
Qualify fast all the time. Qualify even faster this time of year. This means you must be ruthless in removing from your schedule prospects who are merely suspects. Don’t hold back on a question you want to ask, and that includes two questions I like to ask once you’ve established the customer has a need with which you can help them:
What is the outcome you’re looking to achieve?
How important is time to you in making a decision?
With both questions, you’re looking for the customer to give you an indication they have urgency in their need to make a decision. These two questions are what I call 4th quarter questions, because they help you learn quickly if time is on your side. Sure, they work every other quarter too; it’s just that I feel in the 4th is when they will help you the most.
Here is a 40-second video worth watching:
A second approach I like in the 4thquarter is to remove options to minimize the number of decisions the customer needs to make. This means you take control and make the decision for the customer.
To do this it begins at the prospecting phase by being careful to not mention anything that implies you have a “wide variety of options” or anything else that implies a lot of choices. The last thing you want the customer to be thinking is they need more time due to the number of options they are considering.
When you use this approach, don’t think you’re doing a disservice to your customers. No, you’re actually providing them with more value, because you’re helping them to make a decision faster.
The faster they make a decision, the sooner they begin to benefit from what you have to offer. This applies even more in December because a decision to wait can turn into a lengthy delay due to the holidays.
Sales never stop! We don’t shut down the sales process due the calendar, but rather we flex our process to fit the calendar.
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
October 29, 2018
Sales Motivation Video: Great Salespeople Live by a Code of Ethics
What ethics do you stick to? Are you living by an impeccable code of ethics in your personal and professional life?
Great salespeople don’t compromise on ethics.
Check out this video to see what I mean:
And don’t forget that a coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
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