<s> ESSENTIAL MANAGERS
SellingERIC BARON
ContentsLondon, New York, Melbourne,Munich, and DelhiSenior Editor Peter JonesSenior Art Editor Helen SpencerExecutive Managing Editor Adèle HaywardManaging Art Editor Kat MeadArt Director Peter LuffPublisher Stephanie JacksonProduction Editor Ben MarcusProduction Controller Hema GohilUS Editor Margaret Parrish
4 Introduction
CHAPTER 1Building meaningfulrelationships
Produced for Dorling Kindersley Limited by
6 Adding value through sellingThe Stables, Wood Farm, Deopham Road,Attleborough, Norfolk NR17 1AJwww.cobaltid.co.ukEditors Louise Abbott, Kati Dye, Maddy King,Marek WalisiewiczDesigners Darren Bland, Claire Dale, Paul Reid,Annika Skoog, Lloyd Tilbury, Shane WhitingFirst American Edition, 2009Published in the United States by DK Publishing375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 1001409 10 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1ND130—February 2009Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley LimitedAll rights reservedWithout limiting the rights under copyright reservedabove, no part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, ortransmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise),without the prior written permission of both thecopyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Published in Great Britain byDorling Kindersley Limited.A catalog record for this book is available fromthe Library of Congress.ISBN 978-0-7566-4196-2DK books are available at special discountswhen purchased in bulk for sales promotions,premiums, fund-raising, or educational use.For details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets,375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 orSpecialSales@dk.com.Color reproductionby Colourscan, SingaporePrinted in China by WKTDiscover more at www.dk.com
8 Addressing needs10 Appealing to buyers14 Differentiating yourself
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 4
Understanding theneeds of customers
Resolving objectionsand closing the sale
16 Implementing the model
50 Understanding objections
18 Seeing the nature of needs
54 Collecting the data
22 Planning your approach
58 Reframing objections
24 Making your ﬁrst move
60 Discussing price
26 Presenting your credentials
62 Responding to objections
28 Opening a sales meeting
64 Closing the sale
30 Questioning for needs
68 Moving beyond the close
34 Listening to your client36 Approaching a problem
70 Index
38 Reviewing needs
72 Acknowledgments
40 Selling with others
CHAPTER 3Making yourrecommendations42 Using features and beneﬁts44 Targeting the pitch46 Offering your ideas48 Asking for feedback
Chapter 1
Building meaningfulrelationshipsPeople buy from people whom they like, respect, and trust,so selling is really about building and managing relationships.The ﬁrst step is to ﬁnd out what your customers expect anddemand, and what you need to do to respond accordingly.
Adding value through sellingOffering good products at competitive prices just isn’t enough to winsales in today’s competitive market. Your can bet that your best ideas willbe emulated by others sooner or later. Today’s customers expect you toadd value to their business—to address their needs and deliver solutions.
The evolving selling mentalityBeing a successful salesperson today involves you incollaboration, facilitation, and a sense of partnershipwith your customer. Long gone are the days of one-waypersuasion—the canned pitch is considered the lowestlevel of selling. Ideas about selling have evolvedrapidly as globalization and fast communication haveproduced more savvy and demanding buyers. Sellingreﬂects wider changes in business and today goes farbeyond pushing product, embracing an understandingof how organizations work, management structures,psychology, and self-awareness.
Adding value through selling 7
Understanding your role
TIPTHINK CREATIVELYDon’t limit yourself tothinking about onlyyour products andservices—yourcustomers need yourcreativity to helpsolve their problems.
In the past, a salesperson could get by througheloquently telling the customer everything he or sheknew about their product, and explaining why theircompany was the best in its ﬁeld. This approach maystill win you business today in some areas, but mostcustomers now demand much more from theirsalespeople. They expect them to add value to theirbusiness—to understand fully their needs and to offerup solutions to problems they didn’t even realize theyhad. To succeed, you need to interpret what the clienttells you, and often educate your customer aboutwhat’s out there. Then you need to mesh together theabilities of your organization with that of the client forthe beneﬁt of both. You need a measure of curiosityand good listening skills to uncover what the clientreally needs. And you must be a brilliant innovator,with the ability to think creatively and manage creativeprocesses that ﬁnd answers.
IN FOCUS... SELLING PROFILEThere’s no formula for a greatsalesperson—they come from allwalks of life and levels of society.However, salespeople share somecharacteristics that make them morelikely to succeed:• Willingness to take risks—puttingtheir own necks on the line andentering unchartered waters tocome up with unique ideas.• Generosity—giving credit to otherswhere deserved without reservation,and sharing credit without fear ofdiminishing individual contribution.• A thick skin—knowing how to dealwith failure and understanding thateven the best lose more often than
they win. With experience,salespeople learn how to dealwith inevitable negative responsesto their ideas, as well as theirown innate emotional responsesto knockbacks.• A methodical approach—understanding that planning andfollow-up are the keys to success.• Resourcefulness—constantlyinnovating and challenging theexisting approaches. Salespeoplework well in groups and make themost of the talent around them.• Tenacity—knowing that dauntingproblems cannot be tackled withouteffort and determination.
8 Building meaningful relationships
Addressing needsSelling isn’t a moment of inspiration; it is not about force of argument orthe strength of your personality. It is a process. The process is fairly easyto understand, but—as you’ll see—hard to do. The techniques in thisbook are centered around a process called needs-based selling, so let’sexamine its principles and set the scene.
TIPREFRAME THESALES VISITThink of every salescall as a problemsolving opportunity.You are selling morethan products andservices; you’reselling ideas,perspectives,and insights.
Examining the processThe process of selling requires careful planning andmanagement. Beginning a relationship with a newclient is the ﬁrst phase of the process: you can’t justwalk into a customer’s ofﬁce and kick off a salesmeeting—it needs careful staging, and both you andyour customer need to be prepared.Next, you start the most important part of the salesprocess—determining the customer’s needs. During thisphase, you ask the key questions, listen to what thecustomer has to say, identify both the obvious and lessobvious needs, enter into a meaningful dialogue, andreview what you have learned. Needs determinationdrives everything in selling, and it is only once you havelistened to your customer that you move on to thephase of the process that most salespeople enjoy themost: presenting their products and services. This iswhen you get to explain how you and your companycan address your customer’s needs. You know yourproducts and services inside-out, and your customerswant to hear how you can help them.Once you have determined the needs and maderecommendations, it is time to think about gainingcommitment. But something almost always gets in theway—and you face resistance to commit. The customerneeds to be allowed to object—even when they seemready to buy—and you must resolve the client’sobjections if you are to close the sale.
Addressing needs 9
Needs-based sellingSimply put, needs-based selling means determining acustomer’s needs before you start to propose solutions.Get to understand the customer by letting themspeak—at length, if necessary. When it’s time to present,you’ll do a better job than those who merely displaytheir products and services and you’ll be far betterpositioned to sustain a long-term customer relationship.
Solving problemsSuccess in selling is linked to effective problem solving.If you’re good at one, the chances are that you’ll excelat the other. The process of problem solving is alsoremarkably similar in its structure to that of selling(see below), further reinforcing the link.COMPARING PROBLEM SOLVING WITH SELLINGSTEP
PROBLEM SOLVING
NEEDS-BASED SELLING
1
Set the stage. Provide structurefor the problem-solving session.
Open the meeting. Build rapport, conﬁrmthe agenda, prepare the customer.
2
Deﬁne the problem. Reviewbackground information andsolutions already tried.
Determine needs. Engage with the clientand tease out both their obvious and theirhidden needs.
3
Generate ideas. Provide theclimate where everyone cancontribute creative perspectiveswithout judgment.
Present products and services. Describe thefeatures and beneﬁts of what you have tosell. Impart your enthusiasm and belief inyour products.
4
Evaluate the ideas and developthe best ones. Identify theappealing aspects of an idea,then list the concerns.
Resolve objections. Effectively andsensitively resolve the objections thatcustomers inevitably raise.
5
Summarize the solution. Puttogether a speciﬁc action plan.
Close the deal. Agree on how to moveforward with fulﬁllment.
10 Building meaningful relationships
Appealing to buyersCountless studies have addressed the central questions of sales—why dobuyers buy? How do customers make decisions? What do they demandfrom salespeople? The answers come down to three discernablebehaviors: believing in your position, empathy, and trust.
TIPSET THE TONEYou don’t have tobe funny to besuccessful in sales,but it helps to be fun.Be the kind of personwho brightens up aroom when theyenter, as opposedto the person whobrightens up a roomwhen they leave it.
Establishing your positionPeople buy from people who know their stuff. If thesalesperson can’t consistently demonstrate that he orshe knows what they are talking about, it becomesalmost impossible to buy from them.Put yourself in the buying role. You want to buy anew refrigerator, but the salesperson just can’t explainwhy model A is better for you than model B. Chancesare that you’ll shut down as a customer; in fact, you’llprobably want to leave and go to a different store.Knowing what you sell inside-out is a given, but yourcredibility extends far beyond product knowledge.You must become familiar with your customer’sbusiness, competitors, industry, and marketplace.You need to be well prepared. It’s not hard—almosteverything you need to know about your customersand markets is readily available online.
CHECKLIST GAINING RESPECT BYSHOWING RESPECTYES
• Do you show respect for your client’s space by, for example, avoidingplacing objects on their desk?• Do you show respect for their business by, for example, asking beforeyou take notes?• Do you show respect for your competitors? If you put down one ofthe client’s existing suppliers, you are disrespecting the client.
NO
Appealing to buyers 11
Showing empathyEmpathy is the ability to connect with someone—tosee things from their perspective. Several recentstudies indicate that, for many buyers, a salesperson’sability to understand their situation is the single mostcompelling reason why they make the decision to buy.Many people think that empathy depends onsimilarity of age, background, experience, or point ofview. That’s a myth. A young salesperson can connectwith and relate to someone much more senior if theycan identify areas of mutual interest. It’s not hard toﬁnd common ground. For starters, both are already inthe same business—even if they are on different sidesof the desk. They may have similar interests andeducations: if salespeople allow the customer to talkand genuinely show interest in what they say, thecustomer will appreciate the empathy shown.Without understanding the customer and showingreal interest in what he or she has to say, a keyingredient in the relationship will be missing and thesalesperson will remain an order taker… at best.
Building trustTrust takes a long time to build, but only a secondto lose. To demonstrate that you can be trusted,you need to be responsive, direct, clear, reliable, andstraightforward. Customers don’t like to be manipulatedand don’t appreciate evasiveness. If you get caughtbeing dishonest in any way, you’ll not only lose thatcustomer, but the ripple effect of your actions will alsospread far beyond the borders of that relationship.Always assume that your customer is smart andgive them due respect: don’t play games, make sureto deliver on your promises, and avoid nasty surprises.Follow these simple rules and your customer’s trustwill follow in time.
TIPGET IN TOUCHFocus on empathy.Management guruDavid Maisterfamously said:“Customers don’tcare how much youknow until they knowhow much you care.”
Ways tomitigate riskand buildtrust
START SMALLDon’t ask for all thebusiness; ask for apiece of it. Show thecustomer yourcapabilities and earnthe businessover time.
IDENTIFY PARALLELSITUATIONSReview a similarsituation with thecustomer anddemonstrate how itworked previously.
BUILD IN ANEXIT STRATEGYLet the customerknow there will bea way to get out ofthe situation ifthings don’t workout as planned.
EXPLAIN THEWORST CASEMake the client awareof all the risks andhow you’ll do yourbest to keep themunder control.REASSURE THECUSTOMERTell them you’ll beTthere throughout theprocess; if anythinggoes awry you’ll beready to take actionif necessary.
TAKE THE BURDENStand behind whatyou are doing for thecustomer; let themknow you will takefull responsibility ifthings go wrong.
SHARE THE RISKEnlighten thecustomer about therisk for you—if thingsdon’t happen asanticipated, you’ll paya price as well. Conveythat “we’re in ittogether.”
GUARANTEERESULTSOr at the very least,guarantee yourcommitment to sticktogether throughoutthe process.
14 Building meaningful relationships
Differentiating yourselfWhether you’re selling computer support, pharmaceuticals, or plumbingsupplies, chances are that your competitors offer similar products atequal or better prices with identical backup. You need to do everythingto set your product apart from the others, and there is no better way todifferentiate your company than through your approach to your customer.
Providing more than the goodsTo be a success in sales, you should constantly askyourself what you can do to add value to the clientrelationship. If all you do is facilitate the supply ofproducts and services, you are not adding value—just reacting. Even when you provide solutions toknown problems, you are still in reactive mode andare not adding much value. This begins only whenyou help the customer to determine their needs.The goal is to move up the value chain to becoma strategic adviser to your customer—someone thecustomer calls for guidance, ideas, perspective,insights, and, quite simply, help. Once you rise tothat level with a customer, your position is rock solid
Achieving visibilityMake yourself visible to your customer. To rise to thlevel of a trusted adviser and differentiate yourselffrom your competition, visit your customers in persoon a regular basis. This approach has many beneﬁtsit strengthens the relationship with your customer; itgives you an opportunity to learn their needs directand through nonverbal clues; and it enables you tosee ﬁrsthand who your customer regularly interactswith in their organization and the many facets of thework life that remain hidden on the phone.
TIPBE FIRSTDo whatever you canto keep yourself onthe customer’s mind,by emailing orsending personalnotes and letters.Your customers don’t
Differentiating yourself 15
Surprising yourcustomersAim to give your customerssomething they did not ask for orexpect. Let them know that youcare a bit more than anyone else,that you are willing to do thingsothers haven’t even thoughtabout, and that you are not justconcerned about getting the sale.Tom Peters, the world-renownedcustomer-service guru, talksabout “wowing and delightingcustomers.” Showing them you aredifferent can be what ultimatelytips the scales in your favor whena
? ASK YOURSELF...AM I “WOWING”MY CUSTOMER?• Are there any relevant articles orpieces of research that you couldsend them?• Can you put them in touch witha third party who can providesomething you can’t?• Do you know of any supplierswho could help them reducetheir costs?• Can you help them solve apressing problem?• Is there a signiﬁcant personal eventthat you could acknowledge?• Do you know someone who islooking to change careers whothey might like to meet?
Chapter 2
Understanding theneeds of customersAlmost every sales professional worth his or her saltacknowledges the key importance of understanding theircustomers’ needs. But what does this really mean, and howdo you achieve it in the real world?
Implementing the modelThe concept of needs-driven or needs-based selling is nothing new.Corporations have always boasted about their ability to developproducts that address their customers’ needs, and the concept has beenincorporated into sales training programs for decades. Why then, isneeds-based selling often so poorly implemented?
TIPPRACTICEYOUR SKILLSWhen you are innon-businesssituations withfriends or family, askyourself what theirneeds are relative toyour discussion. Ithelps you becomebetter at identifyingneeds and can makeyou a better friend.
Breaking the 80/20 rule“Do you understand all of your customers’ needs?”In surveys, more that 80 percent of salespeopleanswer “yes” to this question. Yet studies of theircustomers reveal that, seen from the client’s side,only 20 percent of salespeople are addressing needs.Some people call this startling discrepancy inperceptions the “80/20 rule.” As a salesperson, youneed to understand why this happens, and whatyou can do to make sure that you’re part of thesuccessful 20 percent.
Implementing the model 17
TIPQUESTIONYOURSELFThink of somethingyou bought recently.Why did you buy it?What need did youhave? How did theproduct address it?How effective wasthe salesperson youbought from? Askyourself questionslike this and yourunderstanding ofcustomers’ needswill become clearer.
Taking your timeSo why is it that so many salespeople respond in away that their clients don’t want? The answer is—inpart—that they are too eager. Early in a sales meeting,they hear a need from a customer and, with the bestof intentions, start to address it, start to provide asolution. You ask: “Isn’t that what needs-driven sellingis all about?” Not exactly: if you hear a need andrespond to it immediately, it’s a little like reading theﬁrst chapter of a book and drawing conclusionsregarding the author’s message. You know a bit—butjust that; the whole story awaits. Any prematurerecommendation is likely to miss the mark, resultingin a disappointed customer.It takes a lot of self-conﬁdence to step back andadmit to yourself and your client that you’re not yetprepared to make a recommendations. You need toacknowledge that you don’t understand yourcustomer as well as you thought and that you needto ask more questions. This level of humility doesn’tcome naturally to most salespeople.
? ASK YOURSELF...HOW DO I TUNE IN TO ACLIENT’S NEEDS?Each time you interact with a customer, ask yourself thesetypes of questions to put yourself in the right mindset:• What is this person trying to accomplish?• What does he or she really want from me?• What are their primary concerns?• What’s holding them back?• What are they getting/not getting from their currentsupplier(s)?• What gaps exist in their current relationship(s)?• Why are they taking the time to see me?
18 Understanding the needs of customers
Seeing the nature of needsBefore you start questioning your customer to uncover his or her needs,it helps to know what these needs might look like—and how they arelikely to present themselves. You’d be surprised at how even the mostseasoned sales professionals have difﬁculty recognizing needs.
TIPANALYZE YOURTHOUGHTPROCESSWhenever you ﬁndyourself offering asolution to acustomer, askyourself what theneed is that led tothis solution. You’llbe amazed at howtaking one step backwill leave you twosteps forward.
Separating needs from solutionsThe respected Harvard economist Theodore Levittfamously said: “Nobody needs a drill, they need ahole.” In other words, people’s real needs aresometimes hidden behind apparent solutions.A simple example may help illuminate what Levittwas getting at. Imagine you own a travel agency. Acustomer walks in days before the winter vacation;he’s in a panic because he hasn’t arranged that bigvacation he promised his wife and children. You listenpatiently. He says the family is so excited but he’sworried that he’s left the arrangements too late. Hetells you that the vacation is hard to plan because histhree children have such different interests—fromgoing to museums to rock climbing—while his wifejust needs to have some down time. He brags abouthow the cost issue is not a big deal to him.
CASE STUDYNew blood for CitibankIn the early 1980s, Citibank was one ofthe ﬁrst major ﬁnancial organizations toattempt the creation of a unique salesculture. The Consumer Banking Groupinterviewed many of the largest salestraining companies, but—to the surpriseof many—hired a young, small, andvirtually unknown ﬁrm to lead the
charge. When the decision-maker wasasked why she chose that ﬁrm, herresponse was simple: “Of all the ﬁrmswe interviewed, they did the best job ofdemonstrating that they understood ourneeds. And if that’s what we want toteach our people, let’s go with peoplewho practice what they preach.”Enough said.
Seeing the nature of needs 19
TIPSELL BLANKSApproach some salescalls as if you were“selling without aproduct.” This forcesyou to focus strictlyon the customer—aproductive habit toget into.
When salespeople hear stories like this, manyimmediately start thinking up solutions. “What canwe offer him that will address all his issues? If hewants to spend more, let’s help him—it’s morecommission for us. ‘What your family needs, sir, isa spa vacation in Dubai.’”This might indeed be a satisfactory solution, butthe salesperson has done little to understand thecustomer’s needs. A little analysis, and furtherquestioning might reveal that the client has a need toimpress and be respected by his family; to act quickly;to carve out some adult time on his vacation; to have asafe, supervised environment; and many other needsbesides. Taking this longer approach has real beneﬁts:the customer feels understood and valued; he’ll buythis vacation from you, and come back for yourguidance and advice, year after year.
“My family can’t agreeon what sort ofvacation we shouldhave.”
“I know I’ve left it late,but it has to be somethingthat keeps both my kidsand my wife happy.”
“Katie and Maddy lovesports but Shane is muchhappier exploring,and Louise just wantsto relax.”
“No problem. Let’s start byexploring what you need a littlefurther. What were the bestthings about your last vacation?”
20 Understanding the needs of customers
TIPBE SENSITIVEAfter each meeting,ask yourself what thecustomer didn’t say.You’ll probablyunearth some needsthey did notconsciously knowthey had.
Reading between the linesSometimes your customers will tell you exactly whatthey need. All you have to do is listen and respond.But if you address only these overt needs, you are notadding much value to the client, and you are doing nomore than any of your competitors would do. Whereyou can differentiate yourself—and win the client’srespect and trust—is by hearing and responding toimplied needs. So your task is to look for the needsbehind what the customer says. For example, if theclient complains about his boss constantly secondguessing him, he may be expressing a need to havea solid, tightly reasoned explanation for his buyingdecisions. Successful sales professionals know howto uncover these implicit needs—indeed, it is whatdrives their long-term success.Selling would be a far easier task if customerscould be relied on always to buy for sound businessreasons—such as return on investment, quality, value,and competence. If the buyer always made his or herdecision dispassionately, rather than based on howthat decision made them feel, reading theirrequirements would be straightforward.
BUSINESS AND PERSONAL NEEDSBusiness needs are measurable while personal needs aresubjective. Below are some examples of each to illustratethe differences between the two.BUSINESS NEEDS
PERSONAL NEEDS
Reduce costIncrease efﬁciencyShorten production timeBecome more effectiveIncrease proﬁtabilityImprove turnaround time
Look good in front of peersGain recognitionGet that promotionMinimize the riskBoost personal statusDecrease stress
Seeing the nature of needs 21
However, all customers—however company-focusedthey may be—are to some extent inﬂuenced bypersonal needs. These delve into areas that are harderto quantify—security, connecting with others, ego,and comfort. For this reason, showing empathy withthe customer will bring you rich rewards.
HOW TO...FIND OUTCLIENTNEEDSIntroduce thequestioningsession
Beginning the questioningBefore you begin to question your client to determinetheir needs, let them know why you need theinformation, how it will beneﬁt them, and how itrelates to the agenda. Explain that by answering yourquestions they will:• Help you focus on the right issues.• Allow you to make better recommendations.• Get an the opportunity to outline their concerns.• Ensure that you learn about them.They are more likely to be open and honest with theiranswers if they understand the structure of the needsdetermination process (see right).
Ask the rightquestions
Listen for theneeds
Review andcheck the needs
Asking, and asking againMany pieces of research on the selling process pointto one simple conclusion: the more questions you askof your client, the more success you’ll enjoy—theperson who learns the most needs is primed to winthe business. But the corollary is that the longer youmanage a relationship, the more likely you are to losesales. That is because, over time, you becomecomplacent, making assumptions about the customerrather than asking questions. That’s why manysalespeople report a falling share of sales, just whenthey thought the relationship was thriving. Thebottom line is to keep asking questions consistently,methodically, and creatively.
TIPRECOGNIZEMOTIVESLook out forcustomers who arerisk averse, or whoappear to worryabout how they aregoing to appear;they tend to bedriven more bypersonal needs.
22 Understanding the needs of customers
Planning your approachMost sales managers agree that the margins separating good, verygood, and excellent salespeople are not dependent upon what happensface-to-face, but what happens before and after the sales process. Youmay feel energized and ready to jump right into a sales meeting with anew customer, but if you spend time planning the content and thinkingthrough the process, your chances of success will be greatly enhanced.
Doing your homeworkThe ﬁrst stage of planning is getting your contentright—ensuring that you have all the information youneed for every stage of the sales process.Start your preparation by determining the objectivesof the meeting, both for you and the customer. Oncethese are established, ask yourself what you alreadyknow about the customer and what you still need tolearn. There is no excuse for not knowing what isgoing on in your customer’s industry and marketplace.There are many sources of data that you can tap tomake sure you are prepared, including—but notlimited to—annual reports, product brochures,articles, press clippings, industry magazines, and tradeshow summaries. Check out your customer’s website
Planning your approach 23
and try to get a sense of what changes are on thehorizon in their business. Find out about theircompetitors, key in on what the marketplace is saying,and understand what your customers are demanding.If appropriate, think about what you want torecommend to the customer, and the correspondingfeatures and beneﬁts. Try to anticipate objections andask yourself what the real issues might be and whatanswers you may be able to provide.
Preparing the processGetting the content right is important, but you alsoneed to plan how to manage the selling process—the way you deliver the information. Consider allthe stages of the selling process, from opening themeeting to closing the deal. Do you know what youwill do and say in each one and how you will managethe transitions between the phases? Feeling relaxedand well prepared is crucial, so rehearse yourpresentation repeatedly, and ask for feedback fromcolleagues. Practice delivering your questions,resolving objections, and even closing. This willhighlight any areas in which you are less thanconﬁdent, and reveal any holes in the informationyou need to succeed.
24 Understanding the needs of customers
Making your ﬁrst moveIt has lots of names—the initial contact, the cold call, the ﬁrst call, thecanvas, the exploratory call, and others. That ﬁrst visit to a prospectivecustomer can be a daunting, even scary, experience for most peopleearly in their careers. The good news is that this does change over time.
HOW TO...MAKEINITIALIMPACTGet the lead
Write your letterof introduction
Make the calland secure anappointment
Conﬁrm theappointmentin writing
Finding the way inYou can’t set up a ﬁrst meeting until you have a lead.Experiment with ﬁnding different sources of leads:• Former customers• Referrals from existing customers• Newspaper articles and industry publications• Trade shows/symposiums• The “dead ﬁle”—prospects others have given up on• Centers of inﬂuence (third parties).Armed with leads, your key prospecting tool will bethe letter. You can justify three of these in theprospecting process; one to introduce yourself, oneto conﬁrm an appointment to meet, and one to followup on the initial meeting. Emails are ﬁne once you havea relationship, but send a traditional letter for the initialapproach—it will set you apart from the competition.
Making an appointmentMake theinitial visit
Send a follow-upletter
In some industries, it can be acceptable just to dropby, but regardless of the business you are in, you willbe more successful if you obtain an appointment ﬁrst.Send a conﬁrmation letter, letting the customer knowyou are looking forward to meeting them and conﬁrmthe date, time, and time allocation. Review your ownagenda and include some relevant material for thecustomer to look at. Encourage them to invite anyonewho might beneﬁt from attending.
25
Creating an impression
TIP
Your ﬁrst meeting with a new prospect may havemany purposes—from a simple introduction to a fullblown sales call. Whatever happens, stay calm andbegin the process of understanding your potentialcustomer’s needs. You should try not to presentanything speciﬁc (although you should be prepared topresent your company’s credentials; see next page).Instead, establish rapport, and let the customer domost of the talking.Learn what you can about the individual and theirbusiness. Look for, and reinforce, common ground.Are they familiar with your company? Is there anyrelevant history between your organizations thatcould form a bond? Do you share interests oracquaintances in the industry?
HAVEAFUNTry thinking of coldcalls as fun: you’llnever know exactlywhat to expect, sobe ready for anythingand take pride inyour ability torespond to th