Mark Hunter's Blog, page 7

10 Ways to Get Out of a Sales Slump

Transform your relationships into growth opportunities with these proven strategies for success.

Fostering strong relationships with your customers is essential for business growth.

In this blog post, I’ll explore ten actionable strategies that can help you cultivate lasting connections, achieve your goals, and create a success-oriented mindset. 

1. Leverage existing customers. 

Your current customers are your best asset for generating more business. Focus on deepening these relationships to unlock new opportunities.

2. Give more referrals. 

We all enjoy receiving referrals, but it’s important to give them too. When you provide referrals, it energizes you. 

Don’t forget to ask for referrals in return!

Read When Is the Best Time to Ask for Referrals?

3. Contact old customers. 

Have you had customers who haven’t purchased in the last year? Reach out to them. Find out how they’re doing. A simple check-in can lead to new orders and valuable feedback. Often, past customers are happy to hear from you and may share fresh ideas.

via YoungerTV on GIPHY4. Gratitude and thankfulness. 

Show appreciation for your customers regularly. When I am thankful for my existing customers, I’ve got my context. 

Start each day by writing down five things you’re thankful for. This practice shifts your mindset and strengthens relationships, making customers feel valued. It’s amazing how it begins to change your perspective. You can demonstrate it by picking up the phone, calling people and saying, “Hey, I’m thankful for you.” 

5. Set achievable goals. 

While aiming for big achievements like the President’s Club is great, focus on smaller, attainable goals. Success creates success.

Check out the Sales Hunter Goal Setting Masterclass for $59!

6. Build a Mastermind. 

Consider forming a mastermind group with a few like-minded individuals. You connect, you support one another, you help each other out. You motivate each other, challenge each other, celebrate successes. 

I’m part of a mastermind and it’s absolutely amazing how that helps my mindset, 365 days a year. 

Read How to Strengthen Your Sales Network

7. Help others achieve their goals. 

Zig Ziglar said the fastest way to achieve your goals is to help enough other people achieve their goals. There’s something magical when you help others achieve their goals. 

8. Establish an early morning routine. 

The day will quickly get away from you unless you control it.

Top performers prioritize their mornings, setting the tone for a productive day ahead.

 

via GIPHY9. Celebrate your wins. 

No matter how small, celebrate every achievement. Avoid thinking, “this win is nothing compared to…” If that’s your tendency, I recommend you stay off of things like Facebook and Instagram and so forth.

Comparing yourself to others can be discouraging; instead, focus on your progress and recognize your successes.

10. Have a mindset of success. 

By implementing these nine strategies, you’ll naturally develop a success-oriented mindset. This shift in perspective will help you see opportunities and challenges in a completely different lens.

via Jef Caine on GIPHY Conquer Your Fearof Asking for Referrals

 

Could giving away referrals actually lead to receiving more of them in return?

Download Episode 241 today! Anywhere you podcast.

Higher Win Rates with Outbound Sellingw/ Jason Bay

Let’s dive into the strategic elements that make outbound sales thrive in any economic condition.

Ep. 242 out now!!

Copyright 2024, 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 Ways to Get Out of a Sales Slump first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

10 Ways to Find Better Leads

Proven Strategies to Supercharge Your Lead Generation 

Are you struggling to attract high-quality leads for your business? Finding the right leads is more than just casting a wide net—it’s about precision and strategy. In this blog, I’ll reveal ten powerful strategies that will help you identify, target, and convert better leads.

1. Have a tight ICP. 

Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is essential. Create a detailed visual image of your ideal customer. Understand their demographics, needs, and preferences. Whether you have one or multiple ICP’s, ensure you focus exclusively on individuals or businesses that match these profiles.

Develop your ICP in detail with my ICP Masterclass for just $59.

2. Go where your ICP lives. 

To reach your ICP, immerse yourself in their preferred industries and locations. If your ICP is in a specific sector, concentrate your efforts there. Similarly, if they are concentrated in a particular geographical area, direct your marketing and networking activities to those regions.

You’ve got to go where your ICP lives. The more you can be in the community of where your ICP is, the more successful you’re going to be.

via GIPHY3. Provide value. 

Rather than pushing for a sale, focus on providing genuine value. Share useful information, insights, and resources that your ICP will find beneficial. 

Building trust through value will encourage potential leads to engage with your brand.

4. Build a referral machine.

Create an efficient referral system to generate high-quality leads. Anytime you get somebody coming in by way of a referral, that’s a high quality lead, right?

Make it easy for clients to refer you and always return the favor by giving referrals yourself. When people give you a referral, you have to be very quick to thank them, and keep them up to date. 

The more referrals I give, the more referrals I get. 

Read How to Create a Referral Network.

5. Have a repeatable marketing process. 

Establish a simple, consistent marketing process. Whether it’s a weekly email, blog post, or another strategy, consistency helps build reliability.

Don’t overcomplicate it. When you have a repeatable process, people will come to expect it. They’ll be more likely to think of you when they need help.

6. Create a share group. 

A share group is a group of people who you’re always sharing leads with. Find other salespeople who sell services that compliment what you do to the same ICP. That’s your share group. 

For example, you might connect with accountants, real estate agents, and insurance agents. These relationships can lead to mutual referrals and expand your network.

7. Have a uniform message. 

Ensure that your message remains clear and consistent. A uniform message helps potential leads quickly understand what you offer. 

For example, I’m known as The Sales Hunter. That’s pretty easy. I help people sell. 

via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY8. Create simple solutions. 

I see so many organizations so desperate for every sale to be the whale. Don’t overcomplicate things.

The simpler you make your solutions, the more appealing they become to potential leads.

9. Be visible. 

Increase your visibility within your target market. Participate in industry trade associations, attend relevant trade shows, and engage in community events where your ICP is active. Being visible in these spaces strengthens your reputation and attracts leads.

Remember, you become the average of the five people you associate with the most. So if you associate with key people in this industry, guess what? Others are going to see that.

10. Don’t serve everyone. 

Not every lead will fit your ICP. Don’t waste resources on leads that don’t align with your ideal customer profile. Instead, refer these leads to others who might better serve them. This approach ensures you focus on high-quality opportunities and maintain positive relationships.

Trust me, they’ll be happier because they’re being served by somebody else that can help them.

Learn more about referrals from this The Sales Hunter Podcast episode, Referrals, the Best Way to Get Customers with Bill Cates.

Prioritize High-Value Prospects

 

Ensure every minute you spend in sales counts.

 

Mark breaks down why not all prospects deserve equal attention and how to identify those that align closely with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

This episode is out now! Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.

Navigating Sales Objections with Storytelling Techniquesw/ Stephen Steers

Mark and Stephen discuss why stories are the cornerstone of building genuine relationships in a post-COVID world.

This episode is available now!

 

 

Copyright 2024, 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 Ways to Find Better Leads first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

How to Attract Better Customers

To attract high-quality customers and grow your business, implement these ten proven strategies.

When you have better customers, you’re able to grow your business.

1. Be referable. 

Your best customers are going to come from your existing customers, so make it easy for people to refer you. 

Give them something, you can share with them. The idea is to make it very, very simple. 

Read: How to Get More Referrals

2. Give referrals. 

What’s funny is we all want to get referrals, but many times to get referrals, we have to reciprocate. 

Establish a referral mindset by proactively recommending others. It’s not a direct exchange, but fosters a culture of mutual support.

3. Become the visible expert.

This may be on LinkedIn. You want to be seen on LinkedIn as the expert in your niche. 

You may contribute to your trade association or a publication that your association puts out, but when you become the visible expert, it’s amazing how high-quality customers start to reach out to you. 

Read: How to Be Seen as the Expert

4. Help others.

Adopt a service-oriented mindset by going the extra mile to assist others. Word of your helpfulness will spread, enhancing your reputation and attracting potential customers.

via Hyper RPG on GIPHY5. Love your customers. 

Celebrate your customers’ successes, whether they’re professional achievements or personal milestones. 

Expressing genuine congratulations strengthens relationships and fosters loyalty.

6. Be strategic in everything. 

Focus on strategic planning rather than just tactical actions. By understanding the bigger picture, you can better align your efforts with your customers’ needs and your business goals.

7. Be easy to work with. 

Nobody wants to do business with people that are really hard to work with. 

Be that easy person because you’re there to return phone calls. You’re there to meet with them. You’re there to get them the information they need. 

Read: Forbes’ 8 Tips for Improving Client Relationships

8. Make it easy to find you. 

Make yourself easy to find online. Maintain an updated LinkedIn profile, have a professional website, and ensure your contact information is accessible. Engage actively in relevant trade associations to boost your visibility.

Make it easy for people to find you, and that means staying in touch with them. 

9. Speed. 

Don’t slow things down or delay. If somebody makes an inquiry, you reach back out to them immediately. Don’t wait for a couple of days. 

Delays can turn potential customers away. Be fast in all of your correspondence. 

via GIPHY10. Be the optimist in tough times. 

Stand out by being an optimist, especially during challenging times. Your positive outlook can be a beacon for potential customers and set you apart from competitors, or as I like to say, “A two-watt light bulb looks pretty good in a dark room.” 

If you can be the optimist, you’ll stand out. 

How to Present Your Price and Get It

How to present your price with unwavering confidence and secure sales like never before.

Episode 237 is out now!

Streamline Your Sales Processw/ Will Barron

 

How stripping away unnecessary steps can streamline your approach and boost your results. 

Find. Ep. 238 EVERYWHERE!

The post How to Attract Better Customers first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

How to Sell Smarter by Slowing Down

Slow down your sales process and you’ll speed up your closing. 

One of the big issues I find with salespeople is they race to get to the proposal, to the presentation, to show the customer everything that they can do. 

Hold it, slow down! You’re neither doing yourself nor your customer a favor. Who knows if the demo is even right for them? When we do not slow down the sales process at the beginning to really understand the needs the customer has, we cannot be sure that what we recommend to them is even the right solution.

Before you get in a rush, try these six slow-down techniques.

1. Don’t play customer service.

Salespeople are very quick to provide customer service. The customer says, “Tell me about your business, tell me about what you guys do.” And we start foaming at the mouth and wind up stepping all over ourselves. 

How do we even know if what we are about to share with the customer is relevant to them? So when the customer tells me, “Hey, tell me a little bit about what you guys do.” I say, “You know what, I’d love to first understand and learn a little bit about your challenges, about your business.”

I automatically turn it around and get them to share with me. 

2. Don’t respond to price quote requests. 

Do not respond and play customer service early on in the sales call. This is the same thing when the customer says, ”Hey, just give me a price quote.” No, my response is, “We have a lot of solutions, a lot of things, and I don’t want to see you waste your money. So I’m not even sure if what we have is the right thing for you. Can you answer a few questions for me?”  I always turn it around. 

Not only am I turning it around, but I’m investigating deeper. 

via GIPHY3. No empty proposals. 

When I put the proposal in front of the customer, if I’m not able to wrap that around their challenges, their problems, their issues, then my offer is hollow. 

However, if I can take my proposal and wrap it around the challenges, the needs, the pains, the problems, the opportunities that you, the customer, are looking for, I have a much greater chance of success. 

But I can’t wait and find that out when I’m about to put the proposal across the table. 

4. Ask questions earlier to avoid negotiation mode.

If the customer knows that I’m about ready to put the proposal across the table to them, guess what? They begin moving into negotiation mode and it changes all of their responses. It changes who they are, and what my objective is.

Back up the bus and have those conversations at the top of the sales funnel so the customer is more relaxed, and not threatened because of negotiation. The relaxed customer is going to reveal more information, which allows me to go deeper. 

via Entertainment Tonight on GIPHY5. Ask more questions to close more deals. 

You see, my objective early on is to be asking more questions. Here’s what I found in working with sales teams for so many years: the salespeople who ask more questions have a much higher close ratio. 

They don’t race to the demo. There’s a time for that, but only the elements the customer finds absolutely relevant to them. If you show them everything that you do, you have a tendency to confuse the customer.

A confused customer does not buy. A confused customer will say, “We probably need to look at some other options.” It slows down the process. Instead, slow down at the beginning to ask questions. 

Read How to Ask Better Questions Sooner

6. Use those questions again. 

Some of those questions you ask on say, the second call, and you probe down deep—come back to those questions again on the third and fourth call. If you’ve got a long, complex sale, I want to come back and ask again. I’m not going to ask the exact same question, I’ll word it a little bit differently, but what I want to hear if that’s still an issue. Because if you talk about an issue twice, then it’s an issue. 

If you only talk about it once, that’s just a passing moment. You may have just had an itch that you wanted to share, but if you talk about it over two separate meetings, two separate calls, then I know I have a real issue. 

I’m looking for the critical need, the critical problem that you have as a business or as an individual. It makes no difference if it’s B2B or B2C.

10 Sales Metrics that Truly Matter

 

Not everything that can be measured needs to be, but some data can teach us a lot about our business.

Listen to Ep. 235 out now! Find it wherever you get podcasts. 

Strategic Networking &Saas Mastery w/ Kristie Jones

How can the people around you make or break your sales career? What hurdles can you expect when transitioning into Saas?

Learn all this and more in this week’s podcast. 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024, 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.

Helpful Links

Sales Training Courses
How to Get More Referrals
Selling in Difficult Times
The Selling Fundamentals
Stop Discounting Your Price

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The post How to Sell Smarter by Slowing Down first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

How to Begin Any Prospecting Call

What's the reason the vast majority of prospecting calls really go south quickly?
Instead, you've got to lead with a question or a statement relative to them. How? If you want to start any call off on the right foot, follow these four guidelines.

The post How to Begin Any Prospecting Call first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

10 Essentials to Maximize the Day

The big difference between top-performing salespeople and average-performing salespeople…

…is how they use their time and how they maximize the day. 

If we don’t set ourselves up with a very defined process, the day will define us. 

I want to make the most of each day, do you? If so, think through these ten questions.

1. Does the work I’ll do today support my quarterly and annual objectives? 

It’s so easy for us to get caught up in activities or meetings. But if it doesn’t help me achieve my quarterly or annual objectives, why am I doing it? 

Is it helping me create revenue? Is it helping me achieve my goals? If it’s not, why am I doing it? Challenge yourself on what you do. 

This is one of the biggest things that average performers don’t do a good job of, but top performers do. 

2. Am I clear on how I’m going to spend the first and last 30 minutes of the day?

The first 30 minutes of work sets the tempo. You’ve already gone through your morning routine at home or before you’ve started work, but now this is the first 30 minutes of your workday. Are you focused on the top priorities? 

For myself, I have the 10:00 AM rule, to accomplish something significant before 10:00 AM because it changes your day. 

The last 30 minutes of the day is your ability to recap the day and begin setting plans for how you’re going to spend the next day. Tomorrow begins today, and you do that by making sure everything’s wrapped up from today.

3. Am I clear on my objectives for the day before it begins? 

Otherwise, I’m going to get caught up doing busy work. Make sure it lines up with your objectives. 

4. Have I blocked time on my calendar for the key activities I need to complete today? 

It’s amazing how people have critical objectives they have to accomplish, but never set aside time to do them.

I’ve got to make sure that I structure the day so I can get those key activities done. 

5. Have I structured the day to ensure I can maximize my customer facing time? 

Customer facing time (CFT) is where you make your money, right? For you overachievers, I break CFT down two ways. One is for existing customers, and the other is for prospects. 

This means that I’m actively engaged with them in an email conversation or a text thread or I’m on the phone with them. 

Perhaps I’m on a zoom call. Whatever it might be, CFT is critical. 

6. Am I clear on which customer calls will be the most important ones? 

Every salesperson has to have their A list, B list and C list. I never let go of my A’s.  If I have limited time and I’m not going to be able to get all 18 calls done, I’m at least going to get these A calls done. 

I’m clear on which ones are the most important ones. 

Read How to Score Your Prospects

7. Do I have a clear CTA (call to action) for each call I make today? 

Am I clear on what I’m expecting from myself and from the person I’m calling? I want to know beforehand what I’m going to ask. How will I know whether or not I’ve been successful? 

What do I hope to learn from the call? 

8. Is my CRM system open and ready to be working it all day. 

One of the questions I love asking salespeople, “Is your CRM open right now on your computer?” The number of salespeople that say no is amazing. Many update it just once a week. 

I want your CRM to be a sales tool. I want it to be your favorite app, so to speak, on your phone. If you can, put it on your phone. The whole idea is it’s going to help you stay coordinated and focused. I don’t mean for your CRM to hold you hostage. I want your CRM system to help guide you and direct you. 

9. Have I set my mind up to win today by ensuring there’s zero negative baggage hanging around? 

There might be people in your life you can’t afford to spend time with. 

I was talking to a person the other day who made the comment that whenever they see a certain person in the office, those are the days they keep their door closed because the person’s just so negative.

Negative voices suck far more time out of you. A phone call from a negative person may come in. You have to wrap that call up just as rapidly as possible, because you don’t have time for negative voices. 

10. Do I have time at the end of the day to evaluate my performance and make a plan for tomorrow? 

I want to evaluate how I did, what I accomplished, and what my plan is for tomorrow.

You Owe It to Your Prospect to Call Today

 

Learn why procrastinating on reaching out to leads could be costing you valuable opportunities.

Episode 231 out now! Find it wherever you download podcasts.

What Stalls a Sale…and How to Avoid It!

James Muir and Mark dive into the three main culprits of stalled deals—sales issues, client indecision, and business case problems.

This episode LIVE now on your favorite podcast app.

 

Copyright 2024, 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 Essentials to Maximize the Day first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

How to Make Your First Hour Matter

Supercharge your morning; supercharge your day. 

The first 60 minutes in the morning are powerful, and I’m not talking about the first 60 minutes once you arrive at the office, but right when you wake up.

Here’s what I’ve found: High achievers have a very set routine. The more we can have a plan from the moment we get out of bed, it’s amazing how much more efficient we are and how much better we make the day. 

I realize everybody has different lives; kids, families, parents and pets. But I want to walk you through ten things that I have found high performers do, and so do I.

1. Exercise. 

But Mark! Exercising alone takes me 60-90 minutes. Okay, that’s fine. So this routine might represent the first 90 minutes, or two hours a day, but block time to exercise. 

I do this every morning and it’s amazing at how it gets my body moving, my mind going. If you don’t use it, you’re going to lose it. So as you get older, exercise becomes even more important. 

2. Send a thank you note to somebody. 

This may be an email, a social media message, or a handwritten note. It may be a phone call, but if you take the time to thank somebody else, it begins to put your mind into a mentality of gratitude and appreciation. 

It changes how you listen, how you hear and your outlook on the day. 

via The Office on GIPHY3. Quiet yourself in a time of solitude. 

Now, this might be meditation of one form or another. For me, it’s reading my Bible, but I’m focused on my purpose. It allows me to be thankful for all I have and the gift of another day. 

This is really important because I don’t look at things as I have to do them. I look at things as I get to. By spending time in quiet solitude, I can reflect on that. 

4. Read. 

I love long-form reading; I’m always reading a book. I’m going to take ten minutes or so and just read a little bit more in that longer book. It just keeps me in the drill of reading because reading is a muscle, and the more we do it, the better off we become. 

It’s easy for us to get caught up in just reading blog posts and quick things we see on the internet, but reading a book involves more critical thinking.

via GIPHY5. Review your annual goals. 

You have to review your annual goals every day because if you don’t, you’re not going to be focused on them.

 I don’t check goals to stress out. Look at these moments as opportunities. I might check and be behind on my annual goals, so I’m thinking, what is it that I need to do today to help move me closer? 

6. Review your day’s objectives. 

Ensure that they align with your goals. 

In other words, what are the things that I’m going to get done today, and do they align with my goals? I want to make sure that how I spend my day is going to be productive. If it’s not productive towards helping me achieve my goals, guess what? I’m helping somebody else achieve their goals. 

Read How Salespeople Can Organize Their Time and Goals.

7. Review the amount of time you’ll commit to prospecting and selling. 

Oh, wow, salespeople, listen up on this one. 

It’s so easy for us to get caught up in all the activities that take us away from prospecting and selling. This is why I say CFT (customer facing time) is so important. I have to make sure that I always have time every day to be focused on prospecting and selling, because it’s a muscle, too. 

This is how you keep your pipeline full. 

8. Ensure your day’s meetings are set with clear outcomes. 

Look at your calendar. Is there a clear outcome? You don’t go to a meeting unless there’s a clear outcome. 

And if there isn’t a clear outcome that you already got to ask yourself, why am I having a meeting? Your time is your most valuable resource. 

Determine your outcome. What is it that I’m going to (or my prospect will) learn? What is the takeaway, whatever it might be. 

9. Demonstrate love and appreciation for your family and those close to you. 

Every morning I get to tell my wife I love her and I’m thankful for that. I text my kids, they’re both married and they’re gone. They have their own families, but I just express appreciation. There are other people who are close to me, people who I work with, and I express that level of gratitude. 

This is similar to number two—send a thank you note—it reframes how you look at things. 

via GIPHY10. Expect the best. 

Be the optimist. Be thankful for each conversation you’ll get to have. 

You can be the negative Nelly, but it’s not going to get you anything. When you are the optimist and you’ve gone through the other nine things that I’ve mentioned here, I guarantee it’s going to change your outlook, and you’re going to listen to your customers better, hear more opportunities, and they are going to be far more enthused to work with you.

How Simple Sales Metrics Boost Sales

 

Do you know your own metrics? Are the ones you have superfluous, or complicated?

Episode 229 is out now! Find it wherever you enjoy podcasts. 

Selling in a Post-Trust Worldw/ Larry Levine

 

Larry and Mark emphasize how it’s up to us as salespeople to change the perception of our profession, molding it into how we want to be seen through our actions.

Find Larry’s new book Selling in a Post-Trust World here! 

Episode 230 out NOW!

Copyright 2024, 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 Make Your First Hour Matter first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

10 Sales Metrics that Actually Matter

Too many sales organizations believe that if it can be measured, we might as well have it as a metric. 

Or, just because it’s easy to measure,  it’s a metric worth following…false! 

I want to go through ten sales metrics for any individual producer or organization. But, I don’t think you actually need ten. You really only need to focus on three or four; those are your major metrics.

1. The number of conversations with prospects or customers. 

This excludes customer service type calls. 

This is the number of actual conversations, whether it be on teams, zoom, or in person with prospects or customers. 

via GIPHY2. Number of calls made to prospects. 

This includes voicemail or a message left with a gatekeeper.

This is the number of attempts made to reach prospects. It’s critical because it’s going to help you determine: what is my prospect? What does my process look like? Is it email-focused? Is it too inbound-focused? 

I also want to be looking at: Am I making calls? 

3. Number of prospecting emails. 

Separate this from marketing. This is generated from salespeople because there’s a specific issue happening there. 

4. The number of conversations it takes to close a sale once the lead is qualified. 

Over time you want to be able to decrease the number of conversations it takes, because that means you’re getting more efficient. It also means you’re more dialed in on your ICP. 

Read these 6 Steps to Customer-Centric Communication

5. The length of time in days or months it takes to turn a lead into a customer.

Does it take three months? Does it take one month?

This metric helps individual salespeople determine whether or not they have a chance of making their number.

It’s a new quarter and I don’t have enough in my pipeline. Well, if my sales process takes six months, I’m out of luck. That impacts which prospects I go after.

My whole objective is to decrease the length of time it takes. So it might mean that I need to simplify the offer or approach the customer differently. 

6. Percent of leads that ultimately become a customer. 

This is different from being qualified.

This number of leads that ultimately become a customer is going to help me determine whether or not my marketing efforts are good, or a bunch of garbage.

I may have a website, be doing webinars, or other things that are attracting people that just don’t become a customer. 

via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY7. Percent of offers made that never result in a sale. 

You don’t want 100% of your offers made to turn into sales. That means I’m not bringing enough people to the dance, but I also don’t want to be down at 10%. 

There is no magic number, but I always like to say that within 50 to 65% is where I want to be. 

8. Percent of leads that fail to ever engage. 

This is going to tell me how good my initial efforts are, my initial communication, my initial cadence. 

It could be the case that I’m going after the wrong leads. 

9. Percent of new customers who generate a second sale within 90 days of the first purchase. 

This really is a measure of customer satisfaction, and whether or not I’m able to land and expand.

Read Using Land and Expand to Grow Your Sales.

10. Percent of new customers who provide a valid referral within the first six months. 

This says that I’ve got a raving customer. I’ve done a great job of selling and setting the right expectations and delivering on them. 

Not comfortable asking for referrals? I’ll teach you how in my Referrals Masterclass available now on The Sales Hunter University!

How to Improve Your Closing Ratio

 

The key to improving your closing ratio is by refining your opening approach.

Find Episode 227 on your favorite podcast app!

How to Crack Major Accounts

 

w/ Carson Heady

Mark and Carson also discuss the innovative uses of AI and large language models for crafting outreach.

They’ll share strategies for introducing key stakeholders to help deals move along, and the importance of maintaining responsibility throughout complex transactions. 

Ep. 228 out NOW! Find it here. 

 

 

Copyright 2024, 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 Sales Metrics that Actually Matter first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

How to Score Your Prospects

Scoring your prospects can help you manage your time. Who is a priority?

I challenge you to rate your prospects A, B, C. I’ve created eight questions that will help you do just that. 

My top category ‘A’ means they fit my ICP, I can help them, they have great lifetime value including downstream revenue and referral potential.

Now, are there magic thresholds? No, but I believe that there’s a max. At max, maybe 10% of your prospects are A’s, and there’s probably 40-50% that are B’s and 40-50% that are C’s. 

Only 10% are A’s, because my whole objective is to spend more time on fewer customers.

1. Do they fit your ICP? 

If they don’t fit your ICP, I don’t care if they’re an A, B, or C. They shouldn’t be in there. They must fit your ideal customer profile, period. 

2. Can you help them? 

In other words, they may be somebody that fits your ICP, but you can’t help them. Now I really have to question why they’re in my pipeline. 

Maybe they could be in my pipeline because I can help them a year from now, or six months from now. I’ll get into that in just a bit….

3. What’s the lifetime value of the customer? 

I want to look at each opportunity. Is this a one-time sale or is this a sale that’s going to wind up resulting in X, Y, Z?

Is this a customer that the sale is so significant, they’re so big, they’re so influential that the lifetime value is absolutely huge? If it is, guess what? I’m going to give them an A. 

4. What’s the sales cycle? 

The sales cycle is going to vary based on the type of customer you’re dealing with. If you have a customer who is a small opportunity and they have a long sales process, I’m not even going to worry about them at all. 

They may even have some lifetime value, some potential, but their sales cycle is so difficult because of the bidding process, quoting, budgets and procurement. I’m just not going to dance with them. Or, if I do dance with them, I’m going to put them in the C category.

5. Is there downstream revenue?

If I get to work with this customer, they’re in turn going to help me get involved with their customers. I’m going to be able to serve their customers upstream. I may be able to help their suppliers. I’m looking at what is the downstream revenue potential for this opportunity.

6. Positioning in your industry. 

Is this a high profile company in your industry that, if you captured that logo, would mean working with a great company? 

Positioning in your industry may also be individuals. They may be led by a CEO or someone else that has a tremendous amount of influence in the industry. That person’s going to wind up going to work for somebody else or leading somebody else, and they’re going to take me with them. 

7. What’s the referral potential? 

In other words, how much other business could this customer get me? Referral potential, meaning it may be other divisions within their company or other companies that they own. It may be others in the industry because they’re kind of a big wheel in their industry association. It is not like they’re a flagship, but they just have a lot of connections. 

Read Mark’s Tips for How to Ask for a Referral

8. What’s the learning potential?

Is this a customer that, if we were to land, we would learn a tremendous amount? I have done this a number of times over the years in my own business because a company will help me be better. I think, “Well, we want to develop this technology more. Here’s a company that’s working with the technology, and if we get them as a customer, that’s going to help us develop X.”

I’ve shared with you eight questions to help you determine if a prospect is an A, B, or a C. 

Each score requires a different time commitment, too.

My B’s, I’m still catching regularly. They’re in my cadence, and I’m touching base. As for the C’s, if I run out of time, I run out of time. I may stay engaged with C’s for two or three months trying to get them. And if I’m not having success, if we haven’t found traction, cut them out. On the other hand, for A’s I’m going to stay in the game with them for several years. 

I’ve had customers that I’ve had to prospect for two to three years before they became a customer. But they were such big opportunities that they were worth it. 

If all I did was focus on those A’s as a salesperson, I would starve to death, so that’s why I need some B’s and some C’s. 

Elevate Your Emails to Close More Deals

Uncover the power of sending fewer, more targeted emails rather than resorting to mass blasts.

Episode 225 is out NOW on all podcast platforms.

Digital Tools & Strategies for Better Lead Generation

Join me and Kak Varley as we explore the fascinating intersection of lead generation and digital marketing from a sales perspective.

Ep. 226 out now! Find it here. 

Copyright 2024, 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 Score Your Prospects first appeared on The Sales Hunter.

8 Pre-Call Mindset Secrets for Sales Professionals

Your pre-call attitude determines your post-call results. 

Did you know your mindset affects your ability to listen better? You hear more things, you’re more in tune, you’re more attentive, and the results are amazing.

I can watch two salespeople go on the exact same call—it’s a tag team call. One has a great attitude, one doesn’t. It’s amazing how a person with a great attitude comes out with a totally different perspective and is able to see where results are possible…and the other person isn’t.

1. Mentally prepare for the day—your mindset matters. 

I can’t just suddenly go out and make a sales call. I’ve got to be mentally prepared. This includes your routine every morning for how you get ready. How do you get set? 

via The Office on GIPHY2. Focus on the outcomes you want to achieve.

The outcomes are not necessarily closing the deal. The outcome could be: I want to uncover more information, uncover new insights, to follow up on this, to create the next step. 

Focus on the outcomes you want to achieve, and again, with the right attitude, with the right mindset, it’s amazing how you’re going to be able to do that. 

3. Expect success. 

Focus on the positive. If I go into a sales call saying, “Oh, nothing’s going to happen here,” that is indeed the outcome. Your mindset does matter.

via The Sales Hunter on GIPHY4. Start with a win. 

If I’m going to be making prospecting calls, I may start off by calling an existing customer. Why? Hear from them all the things that are going well and soon enough they’re going to have you feeling good. 

When I start with a win, it’s amazing how I can power through the next set of calls I have to make. 

Read 5 Ways to Create Momentum with Your Mindset

5. Practice the 10:00 AM rule. 

I want to accomplish something significant before 10:00 AM because it changes my mindset. It’s amazing how much momentum I create, how positive I am, and how much more success I’m going to create throughout the day. 

Do it. Set your alarm every morning for 10:00 AM. 

6. Do the reps. 

You’ve got to do the reps. If your number is 20 calls a day, or 30 calls a day, you got to do the reps. There’s something magical about doing the reps. If any of you work out in a gym, you’ll know what it is. 

If you’re doing lifts or squats or curls with a certain weight and you do them regularly, it’s amazing how the reps become easier and you get stronger. You can’t just do the reps infrequently. Do it all the time. 

via The Grapes on GIPHY7. Celebrate the small wins. 

You may go through a day of prospecting, making calls and there’s not a whole lot of success. You may be tempted to think, “it’s not working.” Instead, celebrate small wins today. 

For instance, I didn’t close any deals today, but I had some great conversations. It was a success because several of them are moving forward to where they will be able to close a deal. Those are wins, too.

8. Think long-term. 

We get into trouble when we fail to think long-term, then we’re only focused on today. 

I know that doing the reps every day over a long period of time, it’s going to create results. Thinking long-term changes my mindset.

Unlock Customers Needs Through Smart Questions

What if the best sales presentation is the one you never give?

Find out in 5 minutes.

Ep. 223 available NOW wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Signs of a Confident Sales Pro

Get the Confidence Code w/ John Kantarski!

 

If level one is head confidence, and level two is heart confidence, what does LEVEL 3 Confidence look like?

Episode out 7/24/2024! Find it here. 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2024, 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 8 Pre-Call Mindset Secrets for Sales Professionals first appeared on The Sales Hunter.