Sales Answer

You've Made a GREAT Move!

2011-05-02T16:15:00.000-04:00

Book Review: The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk

2011-03-24T09:31:00.000-04:00

Learn to LOVE this word!

2011-03-11T16:20:00.000-05:00

Take it to the NEXT LEVEL!

2011-03-11T10:27:00.000-05:00

Want to sell more? CHECK IN!

2011-02-28T15:59:00.000-05:00

The Secret to Closing More Business!

2011-02-24T13:56:00.000-05:00

Secrets to becoming a SUPERSTAR public speaker!

2011-02-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

Learn the secrets to becoming an INCREDIBLE public speaker! http://bit.ly/dVNNGI

Take the Deal off the table!

2010-12-21T08:25:00.000-05:00

Are you a go-GIVER?

2010-10-27T11:13:00.000-04:00

MOVE THE NEEDLE NOW!

2010-07-28T15:37:00.003-04:00

Want to be a better Sales Closer?

2010-04-14T17:11:00.004-04:00

2010-04-06T13:34:00.000-04:00

The NEW way to close business: Add VALUE through Campaigning

2010-04-01T09:31:00.009-04:00

If you're like a lot of salespeople, managers and business owners, you're wondering why it's getting harder and harder to compete and sell your products/services, despite your success with a certain strategy in the past. Allow me the privilege of showing you what I learned from Brendon Burchard as the secret new strategy that is making millions of dollars in new revenue for those that know it, and leaving everyone else flat! Selling your product or service today will not happen with a "promotion" or a "sale" or a "sales call" or your product/service being "stellar" or even the best "pricing." I know, this may seem frustrating and you're wondering: 'If none of these strategies will work, what is left?' Very simply, in politics, its always the candidate that "campaigns" better to win the votes. You need to do the same. One of my markers of good selling is that it's YOU adding value to a client, and this strategy is no different. The Secret of turning your Sales and business around is simple: It's the process of campaigning and adding value to your client about THEIR business, not yours. Let me explain; I will give you two quick scenarios, and you tell me which one of them will more likely close a sale.
Scenario 1:
Salesperson sends a seed letter about themselves and their company/product, pitches their company product, endlessly "follows up" on their pitch to no avail...
Scenario 2:
Salesperson sends a seed letter discussing a new trend they heard about in the prospect's industry. Two days later, they email a :30 second flip video of themselves introducing an idea they heard about from the prospects competitor, giving them content based info on the marketplace. Two days later, they fax the client a relevant article about the prospect's business. Two days later, the prospect calls the Salesperson to meet with him/her.
In conclusion:
Create VALUE for your clients, and make it about them. Who will they think of when they are ready to market their ideas...the salesperson who pitches a product, or the salesperson who adds value to their business goals? I think you know the answer.

: : : : : : : : : : :

2010-03-22T14:54:00.000-04:00

Nobody Cares about your Medium!

2010-03-08T17:13:00.003-05:00

It's amazing to me when I watch salespeople trying to sell their "medium." Do businesses really care what medium they are buying if it gets them results? I promise you, if there was an old man on a mountain that shouted commercials out and it somehow worked for businesses, they would pay the salespeople for this crazy old man's services. My Point: Businesses and business owners/people do not buy your medium, regardless of what they may tell you. They buy RESULTS. And this word RESULTS is thrown around far too carelessly in this business...if you're going to use it, make sure your client or potential client DEFINES it in no uncertain terms. This way, you are both tracking the same goal. I have had far too many salespeople tell me that their client stopped advertising with them because they weren't getting results, and when I asked the salesperson what that particular client's definition was, I received a blank stare in almost every case. DEFINE the result with your client, then, create a business plan that utilizes advertising based on the goal, make it realistic and trackable. You will be amazed by the kinds of answers you get when you ask your client to define their definition of "results" for you...often times it will be unrealistic, and that's your job to step in and let them know. If you don't, and they buy from you, they will blame you later for not achieving their unrealistic results. Nip it in the bud early, sell them on the idea of steady results that you can both agree on and stay in touch.

Are you SOLD on 2010?

2009-12-29T09:31:00.003-05:00

The best sales tool you have for 2010 (or any year past/present/future for that matter) is your MIND. I know I know, you're thinking, "Is this some kind of motivational post? Give me something I can really use!" The answer is yes, this is a motivational post, but in fact what is cloaked as a "motivational post" for the new year is really the most powerful tool in your arsenal, and it's surprising how many of us don't use this tool enough. The tool is your mind, and more specifically, your Frame of Mind for the job at hand. Everyday we can look at numbers, charts, pacing, graphs, and an assortment of other tools our companies provide us, but none of these matter unless your frame of mind says "I CAN." I read that Henry Ford coined the phrase "whether your think you can or you think you can't, either way, you're right." This says it all...your personal belief will make you successful or a failure. BELIEVE that you can overcome in 2010, BELIEVE that you will outperform your expectations. BELIEVE that you can make a difference in your clients' lives and businesses, and BELIEVE that your actions matter and will ultimately provide a positive influence! Or don't believe...try both frames of mind out, tell me which one works better. Happy Holidays =-)

: : : : : : : : : : :

If Your Client Can't Afford It, Then They MUST Afford It!

2009-08-14T10:11:00.003-04:00

We are living in an economy today that most of us have never seen in our professional lives. Our clients are living in these same times, and often I will hear them say, "I just can't afford to advertise my business right now, I just don't have the cash flow." My question to them in response is, "If you don't have the cash flow now, how in God's name will you get it without promotion/advertising?" At this point in the conversation, I usually get a blank stare, with a reiteration that they simply can't afford it. Here is a fact (and I state this fact to clients everyday in exactly this way): "If you believe that you can't afford to advertise because of cash flow, then you MUST advertise immediately and continuously." You may be thinking, "Salesanswer guy, that sounds good in theory, but where oh where will the find the money to pay me?" Simple, the same money that they were going to cut from advertising, they will simply have to cut elsewhere, employees, stock, supplies, frills, or maybe get a loan...here's the point: Ask your client if they expect to be in business in a year...their answer will most often be "yes." If that's true, then they can find a way to get all of this back on track, but NONE of it will be back without advertising to create the cash flow. Be a resource for your clients, pair them up with other clients for a lesser cost on advertising, come up with turnkey promotions for them, help them weather this storm, and you will reap the rewards of their success down the road 10-fold!

: : : : : : : : : : :

Selling...It's all about YOU!

2009-07-08T15:11:00.006-04:00

Recently, I was speaking with some business owners about a group sales presentation that I did for them. They told me something that really hit the nail on the head, and backs up everything that I say to salespeople all the the time: "Your confidence, smile, tone of voice, body language and general disposition are what sold this presentation, because honestly, the material wasn't that interesting by itself." If you want to sell more, concentrate less on the research, numbers, math, etc and concentrate more on YOU! Ultimately, clients are buying YOU...they are buying YOUR confidence, YOUR body language, YOUR BELIEF in your product and/or service. There are 3 rungs you can fit into with sales: Rung 1 is if you have the greatest product in the world, but your presentation of the product is lame, and it makes the easiest sell a laborious task. Rung 2 is if you have a sub par product, but you are an excellent seller, you will close deals. Rung 3 is if you have a great product, and sell with passion, then obviously it will be turnkey. In most scenarios, salespeople fall into rung 2, with one exception, they believe that the sub par product will sell itself and then they are left wondering why they haven't met their budgets! Sell YOURSELF, and the product becomes second tier. We all have competitors, and many of us have competitors that are as good or better than the products/services that we have, so we are left only with our passion, confidence, body-talk, and belief. Do you believe? Belief is a positively addictive drug that we can all afford to abuse...it will give you the best high there is!

Look in the mirror if you want to sell more!

2009-06-01T14:56:00.006-04:00

Does this sound familiar? You just finished your proposal for the client, you're looking at the client anxiously for a response, and they finally say, "we'll think about it." I'd bet 100 to 1 that if you did a solid needs analysis on the first meeting, their hesitation/refusal to buy today had absolutely NOTHING to do with your product, your price, your presentation, or your offer. It had EVERYTHING to do with you! If you want to close more deals, you've got to start taking a serious look at yourself in the mirror...literally...practice your presentation and look at yourself in the mirror. Would you buy from you? Are you projecting vibes of nervousness instead of calm? Worry instead of confidence? Anxiousness instead of resolve? Your client is spending very little time reading your "proposal" and a great deal of time reading YOU. You may be thinking, "that's not true, my client was staring at the papers I gave them." Maybe so, but in the end, they were only looking at them intently to see how you reacted to that. Your reactions, proactive movement, body language, eye contact, choice of words, tone, cadence, etc...these speak volumes about you.

: : : : : : : : : : :

Be a student, so your client doesn't have to be the teacher!

2009-05-26T19:39:00.004-04:00

In traditional sales, the Customer Needs Analysis consisted of the salesperson asking several questions to the client about his/her business. This process is DEAD. Which is to say, there are still several salespeople out there operating in this manner and wondering why they are not performing, but then again, there are a lot of cars on the road from the 90's that can't compete with today's automobiles either. Every industry grows in the way it functions, especially in down times. The sales industry is growing exponentially because it has to. With so many different mediums for clients to choose from, everyone is trying to get to the top of the list? SO HERE'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: "Who IS at the top of the list?" It's any salesperson that refuses to be taught the client's industry by the client. The salesperson who wins is the one that DOES THE RESEARCH ON THEIR OWN! Your client or prospect does not have time to be your teacher...in fact, they hardly have time to run their own business. Want to know how to stand out? Want to be the biggest biller in your company? LEARN YOUR CLIENT'S INDUSTRY...learn it as well or better than them. If your client or prospect is a dentist, know what the latest happenings in the dental world are...know about the new procedures, the new laws, the new gadgets. Do this one thing and you will soar...skip the client industry research process, and you'll be just like the 90's cars on the road with no navigation screen, burning oil, and fiddling with cassette tapes. Go make it happen!

: : : : : : : : : : :

"Can you give me a GUARANTEE?"

2009-05-04T20:36:00.006-04:00

If you live in the world of media sales, something you've undoubtedly heard at some point from a client or prospect is: "What kind of guarantee can you give me?" Quite simply, there is only one guarantee you can offer as the salesperson: "If you don't buy my product/service, I can guarantee that nothing will change in your business." This answer serves two purposes: First, it's the only true guarantee you can give a prospect in good faith, and secondly (and most importantly) it's true. This is the exact same guarantee that a stockbroker will give you, and the exact same guarantee that a personal trainer will give you. It is always more compelling to explain things to clients/prospects by using examples that have nothing to do with the product/service that you're trying to sell. And don't forget, if you're selling advertising, the only real thing you're trying to sell is the client's product or service...your medium is simply the vehicle that moves the needle!

: : : : : : : : : : :

"I'm Just Not Interested"

2009-04-27T16:55:00.005-04:00

"I'm Not Interested" is the most common sales objection I hear. Surprisingly, almost every sales trainer will teach you to handle it with the same tired approach of "tell me what it is you're not interested in?" Well, if you want to create friction with your prospect, say that, because they have no idea what they're not interested in (other than talking to you), so you've asked an unaswerable question. If you want to regain control, you need to lead your prospect down a different path. Acknowledge that they may not be "interested" by showing empathy, and agreeing with them. "I completely understand why you're not interested, as I wasn't entirely clear, so let me be more specific by asking you this: are you interested in growing your business?" Here's the best part: it doesn't make any difference if they say YES or NO, because you can win them over regardless! If they respond with "yes" to your new question, you're home free, and you can reply with: "Excellent, that's exactly why I'm calling you, so let's pick a time to meet that is convenient for both of our busy schedules." If they say "No, I'm not interested in growing my business" then you can do some further digging, for example, you could ask them: "Is that because you can't handle the current business you have? Perhaps recruitment of a staff is what you're really interested in, and I specialize in recruitment advertising." Take this info, try it out, and tell me about your successes!

: : : : : : : : : : :

THE MOST DIFFICULT OBJECTION TO OVERCOME:

2009-04-21T10:01:00.003-04:00

I had one of my blog readers give me an objection to overcome. Here is the objection:

"I cannot buy your advertising for my business because it's against my religious beliefs."

Here is how I responded:

"I completely understand (empathy)...some food for thought: you're obviously in business, and people know you're in business, and that's advertising in and of itself, via word of mouth. Seeing as how that certainly isn't currently at odds with your religious beliefs...help me understand, what is it specifically that positions my advertising product at odds with your beliefs any differently than word of mouth advertising?"

: : : : : : : : : : :

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

2009-04-19T18:38:00.004-04:00

Today, I'd like you to give me a challenge...tell me why your prospects are not buying from you right now and I will give you at least two different ways to address the situation and put you in control of the sale! You can either comment below this post with your hardest client objection, or you can email me at nebodyinvestmentscorp@gmail.com and I will post your question with a response on my blog (keeping your name confidential of course!) Bring it on my friends; this is a particular area of expertise of mine, and I'm happy to show you how to bring in more money!

: : : : : : : : : : :

Energy Flows Where Your Focus Goes!

2009-04-13T16:12:00.006-04:00

How many times have you heard the word "economy" and "down" in the same sentence today? Probably more than once. It's on the tip of a lot of people's tongues, and unfortunately, energy flows where your focus goes. What if you decided to focus on prosperity with your business in this economy? Hmm...is it possible that this new focus would now differentiate you from every competitor around since everyone else is focusing on the "down economy" and how to survive it? Who would you rather do business with, someone that was negative or someone that was talking about the multitude of sales they're experiencing and the positivity that they are envisioning? Simple answer. If your energy flows on the DECISION to be positive, then your focus will go there as well. Vice versa if your energy flows to negativity. In this environment, if you're having trouble keeping your focus on the positive side of business, then here's a trick: ACT AS IF...act as if you're operating in a solid business arena. Act as if things are better now than ever. Or don't, and see what happens. Your attitude is the ONLY thing you CAN control. At the end of the day, PEOPLE and their attitudes are what sell and make a business profitable, not the numbers and research. Sell yourself with positivity everyday, and the outside environment's negativity will bounce right off you, instead of soaking into you.

: : : : : : : : : : :

For All Of My Die Hard Fans...

2009-04-08T15:29:00.001-04:00

My postings are now on Twitter.com as well: http://twitter.com/salesanswer

If you're in sales, you ARE the marketing Doctor!

2009-04-03T15:09:00.006-04:00

In my last post I discussed the question: what would you say to your client if you had absolutely NO FEAR of losing the sale? You know, it's funny, when I went to the Doctor about a year ago for a cough, he did some CRAZY things (sniff sniff, do you smell the sarcasm yet? You will!) He made me set a specific time for an appointment, examined my condition, made a professional recommendation, and asked me to call him about the results of the medication in a week. Hold that thought...I'll come back to that. I had a salesperson come tell me that an interested client called and wanted to see a list, on paper, of all our products and prices and that they would pick what they wanted to buy from this list...and the salesperson gave this to them. WOW! After I got over the initial shock, I explained it to the new salesperson in the simplest possible terms I could conjure up: WE are the professionals in regards to our products/services, not the client. It's your job to set an appointment for a specific time with the interested client, assess their business needs, make a professional recommendation based on those needs, and monitor their progress on a weekly basis. Hmmmm...kinda like we're Doctors, eh? Final note: In ANY form of business We CANNOT prescribe the proper "medication" without a thorough diagnosis first. If we did, we would essentially be doing the client a disservice.

: : : : : : : : : : :

Sales Training

2009-04-02T17:21:00.003-04:00

Last week I asked DO YOU BELIEVE? This week I'm asking you to take a leap of faith. When you drive your car, could the other cars crash into you and kill you? Rhetorical question, obviously. So why then, do we take this leap of faith in our car everyday? Because we need to risk death in order to live! Here's the good news: Building your business and making sales calls will not put you in any danger of death, so the leap of faith that I'm going to ask of you is much less stressful! Phew! Here it is: What would you say to your client if you had absolutely NO FEAR of losing the sale? 90% of salespeople cannot operate on this level, but I will tell you one thing for certain: the 10% that do operate on that level of candidness with their clients are also the biggest billers and most successful. Take a leap of faith on this for just one week and let me know what happens. I'm looking forward to the good news...you have to risk facing fear in order to live, and triumph!

: : : : : : : : : : :

DO YOU BELIEVE?

2009-03-30T12:44:00.003-04:00

When you're building a business or driving sales, there one thing, and one thing ONLY that matters which will determine your success rate: BELIEF. So, the question to ask yourself is simple, "Do I believe that I can help my potential new clients, more strongly than they believe that I cannot?" Belief is mirrored in your choice words, your body language, your speaking speed and tone/pitch of voice, and most importantly, your passion level. Heck, I've bought a bunch of things I really didn't need in my life when the salesperson was passionate enough and truly BELIEVED that I needed his/her product or service. On the flip side, there have been times where I truly needed a product or service that someone was selling me, but my confidence level in the person selling it was so low (i.e. I was not convinced nor did I BELIEVE that they could help me), that I actually passed on something that I knew I needed. So DO YOU BELIEVE? In your gut, in your heart of hearts, in your soul, deep down...DO YOU BELIEVE? Sales and business growth is not just a transfer of confidence. Confidence comes from BELIEF. All is takes is for you to help just ONE person with your product or service, and that will create an anchored BELIEF that you can help others, which will give you confidence. It's all in your head my friends. BELIEVE!

: : : : : : : : : : :

Pitching a TV Show called SOLD!

2009-03-29T12:46:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6YSxpMxxYA

The X Factor

2009-03-27T14:18:00.004-04:00

Do you know your product or service really well? Are you up on your competitor's products/services and the current industry condition? If you said yes, great. That's nice to know. However, if you have any illusions that this will prepare you better to sell your products/services, then you're operating in fantasy land. The ONLY thing that matters is something I like to call "The X Factor" The X Factor is comprised of the intangible cues: tone of voice, your speech cadence, body language, your power words (i.e. "belief, know, confident" as opposed to "maybe, perhaps, might, kinda, possibly"), how you carry yourself, energy level, and a host of other small details. Ask your peers/coworkers/bosses to evaluate you on these intangibles in a presentation/negotiation setting, rather than on product knowledge. I will bet you that those folks that score high in the intangibles are also the best direct salespeople. People buy people...YES, even in a down economy, people buy people, not prices. Are you paying attention to your non-verbal cues? If not, this will help you build your client list faster than anything else. Confidence will outsell knowledge any day of the week and twice on Sunday; this I can promise.

: : : : : : : : : : :

The Diamond Ring Example

2009-03-24T12:58:00.005-04:00

I used to work with this guy that asked a great question: "What, exactly, is a diamond?" Well, it's rock...from the ground...in the dirt. And we spend THOUSANDS of dollars for this rock from the dirt? Are you kidding me? Why in God's name would we do this? Gentlemen, we are not buying the diamond, we're buying the look on her face when you give it to her. Ladies, am I right? (that look on your face means you get to show it off now!) Yeah, I thought so. So whether your business is selling a product or a service is irrelevant. You're selling an emotion that the person will feel when they buy it. You are selling comfort, or security, or happiness, or or or... Figure out what emotion YOU are selling, your sales will grow 10 fold. Sell the intangible emotions; after all, we are human, and emotions are what humans respond to! The business owners and salespeople that can tap into this will soar; that I can promise you.

: : : : : : : : : : :

Do you have the guts to ask?

2009-03-19T20:51:00.002-04:00

I've seen many a "good" salesperson give a stellar presentation, overcome multiple objections and then sit there like a child waiting for dessert to be handed to them. Here's a novel idea: "ASK FOR THE BUSINESS!" Contrary to popular belief, your prospects and clients will respect it. Do it. Several different ways and several times if you have to. "No" means "You haven't sold me yet."

Never worrry about your revenue or growth again!

2009-03-16T17:00:00.004-04:00

It pains me to watch companies and individuals make the same mistake over and over again. Worrying about and discussing their "goals" or their "profits" or their "budgets" or any other internal measurements. These are all useless discussions. If we spent a fourth of our time worrying about our clients' "goals" and "profits" and "budgets" we would never have to worry about our own. Let's take this example out of context so that I can show you how applicable it is elsewhere in our lives. In personal relationships, the more effort you give to the other person, the more that you will receive back in return. Conversely, the more we worry about our own needs, the less we seem to get in return. Business growth is no different. If you own company (or you're in sales and you run your own little company called "YOU") then you need to operate on this notion. If you think this is crazy to not worry about your internal goals, try it both ways and tell me which works better. Here's a hint: Your internal Goals and Your clients Goals SHOULD be exactly the same...stop worrying about your commission check, and start worrying about your client's commission check. If you make this one small change, you will see monumental differences in your quality of life (and your bank account!)
: : : : : : : : : : :

TESTIMONIALS

2009-03-16T14:51:00.001-04:00

While selling for an international fortune 500 company for twenty years, I had the privilege to be exposed to some of the top sales trainers in the country: Tom Hopkins, Tony Robbins, Ken Blanchard, Zig Ziglar, etc. I also had the honor of listening to some of the best motivational speakers like Fran Tarkenton, quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings and Susan Butcher, the first woman to win the Iditarod Dog Sled Race. As of September of 2008, I am proud to add Nick Garcia’s name to this great list of sales trainers. He is that good!
-Don Woolery

After being in the business for almost 5 years and selling high end health clubs ten years previous to my radio career, I thought I had been to every form of sales training. Nick’s class was remarkably different in the fact that it stressed the concept of long term advertising and following that path to greater results. His honest and direct approach in dealing with objections was extremely beneficial and I have found myself being more aggressive with clients instead of just being satisfied with “no” or “radio doesn’t work”. Asking questions and being more specific is now part of my follow up. I would recommend his training to anyone interested in improving their skills and getting better results for their clients.
-Chris Koval

Nick is good because he gives you the platform to ask the questions that everyone else is thinking and get real answers. He's not trying to teach you how to make your budget, he teaches you how to respectfully earn your clients' business. If you can grasp this concept, you'll never be worried about your budget because your billing will far surpass this number.
-Renee Lanzara

Nick Garcia's sales training was unlike any other sales training I had ever had. After one year of sales in a different market, I thought I was pretty well equipped for the job, but I wanted to take my career in sales to the next level. Nick showed me how to stand out, how to BE DIFFERENT, and how shift the client mindset from one of "quick results" to one that builds their business long term.
Nick is truly a dynamic speaker and teacher....one of the best I have ever seen... and he keeps things interesting and fun! Nick sets his students up for success. Attending Nick's training class is one of the best things that I have ever done.
-Pamela Edmonds

Why would you read this guy's blog?

2009-03-16T09:11:00.000-04:00

Nick has spoken and trained virtually thousands of business owners and sales representatives in dozens of cities showing them how to get the most out of themselves in a business environment. He’s spent years and labored tirelessly taking the best strategies in existence, honing them into concise and usable tactics and giving the gift of knowledge, confidence and tools for success to all that come in contact with him both one on one or as an audience. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Nick has been a student of success and an active agent in changing the way that people perceive themselves and their abilities. An accomplished business person and salesman in the media industry, Nick went on to get an MBA and furthered his career in the arenas of writing, negotiation, training, managing, and most notably, speaking and consulting. Having traveled extensively and been employed with both domestic and international companies, Nick has been able to work with many of the premier talents in fortune 500 companies and major media conglomerates. His extensive list of accolades and testimonials are from business owners, general managers, and corporate CEO’s…however, Nick still contends that the gratitude he receives from the frontline salespeople he works with are the compliments that drive him most, as he firmly believes they have the toughest job in business and are the foundation for any company’s growth. Nick now resides in Miami, FL and is an active member of the Florida Speakers Association.

: : : : : : : : : : :

THIS BLOG IS FOR YOU!

2009-03-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

Forget everything you've ever learned about sales... Whether you've been selling and/or driving a sales force and business for 1 year or 40 years, this blog is for you. It's dedicated to those of us who are both sales professionals and business owners trying to get that edge...it will answer questions, give commentary, and most importantly, be the most motivationally informational blog about the sales process that you've ever read!

HOW CAN YOU SHOW R.O.I. TO A POTENTIAL CLIENT?

2009-03-13T12:58:00.001-04:00

How to Construct a Conservative Investment Analysis (Return on Investment) for a Client

This is a simple formula called an “Investment Analysis” that will help you answer the question “How do I show my client that they will get a return on their investment?”

First Step:
-Get the answer to 3 simple questions:
1-What is their average sale? (For example, if a furniture store’s average ticket when a prospect buys is $2000)
2-How many sales did they make in the last 12 months?
3-By what percentage do they want to grow in the next 12 months? (For example, 5-10% growth from last year)

Second Step:
-Multiply the answer to the first question by the second question…this will give you the total revenue for the previous 12 months.

-Multiply the total revenue by the percentage that they want to increase in order to figure out the growth they are looking for.

EXAMPLE:
Avg Sale of $1200 multiplied by 1800 sales last year= Total Revenue $2,160,000
-If they want to increase by 5%, that’s total revenue multiplied by 5%= $108,000.
Third Step:
-Find out what their profit margin is on a sale…if it’s 50% of the sale price in our example, then they take a profit of $600 on every sale, so they’d like to see a 5% growth in profit next year of $54,000.

Forth Step:
-Show the client that in order to get $108K in additional revenue next year, they need to make about 90 additional sales (at $1200 each).

-That’s less than 2 additional sales per week.

If we took their $54K in additional profit, we could run an annual schedule for more than $1000/week in advertising…do you think we could drive just 2 more sales per week with this plan?
ABSOLUTELY!

SALES: START TO FINISH

2009-03-10T15:43:00.000-04:00

New Business Development in
Media
From Start to Success!

Where to begin…
Media sales prospecting is a 24/7 job…you can
find leads anywhere and everywhere!
Then you will need to:
1. Qualify them
2. Get appointments with the qualified leads
3. Conduct a customer needs analysis, & then:
4. P.N.C.S. Pitch, Negotiate, Close and Serve!

The Sales Process
Qualifying leads:
Even though leads can come from everywhere and
anywhere, it is imperative to be diligent in
qualifying them for your station, particularly:
How can they make sense for your target
consumers, do you know all the decision makers,
do they have a need,
and do they have an available
budget to invest?

The Sales Process
Getting appointments with leads once they’ve
been qualified:
A professional always sets up an appointment. It
shows your prospect that you respect their time.
Now...how does this process work?
You can use a seeding letter sent to the decision
maker at the business before you make a call.

Seeding letter example
Dear Mr. Business Owner,
Your time is valuable, so I won’t waste it.

My name is John Doe with xyz Company and my client list is profitable.
You may be thinking, “why does this matter to me?”
If it turns out that your business has a need and is a good match for my services, I’d like to add you to that list of successful businesses that have become even more profitable.
There’s no magic bullet, and I do not promise “pie in the sky” results…anyone who does is a
charlatan. I show my clients how to wisely invest in the promotion of their products/services, how to get the quickest and most profitable Return on Investment, and how to brand their name with consumers. It’s hard work, and not every business is willing to do what it takes. That’s why my selection process is very narrow…you are one of those businesses.
Look for my call on Thursday at 10:15am to schedule a 20 minute appointment that is convenient for both of us. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person to strategize on your specific needs; I will not let you down.
Best regards,
Nick Garcia

The Sales Process
Getting the appointment:
There is no such thing as a cold call
anymore, every call should be warm…find
out something unique about the company to
show that you did some homework/research
when you call or stop in…now, what do you
say?

The Sales Process
Getting the appointment:
A good basic example intro would include an
identification of who you are, where you’re calling
from, reference your seeding letter, mention a
unique feature about their business that you found
out, and specific reason why you’re setting up an
appointment…then, give them a choice of when to
meet with you, for example “Mon or Tues, which
would work better for you?”

Sample Appt. Setting Script
“Good morning/afternoon (decision maker’s first name),
(your name) from XYZ Media here, can you hear me alright? (get a rhetorical yes from them)
Great, just calling to see if you received the letter/package I sent you last week?”
(if yes, proceed to setting up appt) “Which day would work better for you to meet, Monday or
Tuesday?”
(if no):
“No problem, since I have you on the phone, I can just tell you what the letter was about…I
personally chose your business because we’re reaching out to leaders in your industry in the
area in order to help them grow, and also to show them how to save money on
advertising…what day would work better for you , Monday or Tuesday?”
(handle objections, and ask for the appointment again)
“What time of day is more convenient for you to meet with me, morning or afternoon?”
“Ok, I’m open either (pick two different specific times) 2pm Monday or 3:30pm Tuesday,
which time is more convenient for you?
One last thing, are there any others that help you in the business growth decision making
process that you’d like to have attend our meeting? I’m looking forward to meeting with you!

The Sales Process
Conduct a Customer Needs Analysis
You’ve gotten the appointment, now you have to
go see the client! Keep conversation about your product
on the backburner for the C.N.A., and just
concentrate on getting every piece of pertinent
information you can during this short 20 minute
meeting with them…if you conduct a C.N.A. with
all the right questions, your proposal will close
itself, as it should address every need that the
client mentions.

Customer Needs Analysis:
OPENING: “As I stated on the phone, this will be a 20-25 minute informational meeting so I can assess the best ways for us to partner. This meeting will be about you and your business, so I will be asking several questions that will help me understand how you differ yourself in the marketplace.

-(Open ended Ice Breaker) Let’s start off with this: Tell me what your expectations would be if we were to work together?

-Talk to me about why I would do business with you as opposed to one of your competitors if I were a potential customer?

-What is something about your business that keeps you up at night thinking about?

-What things about your business would you like more of your potential clients to know?

-Are you the sole decision maker, or are there others that either help you in the process, or that you consult when making decisions?

-What kind of media are you using right now? Is it working? Define “working?”

Three most important questions to effectively work an investment analysis:
What are your gross annual sales:
What is your Average Sale/Ticket:
% that you want your business to grow in the next year:

-How do you track your results? Have you been happy with that?

-Are you dedicated to the long term success of your business?

-What kind of advertising budget have you allotted in the past? Does that include your yellow pages budget?

-What is your turnover rate with employees? Do you have any recruitment needs?

-Homework assignment for client: Start thinking about the ONE thing that you’d like your potential customers to think about when they hear your name.

-Schedule date/time to come back with a solution for client need:

-Are there any others involved in the decision making process, or even those that you like to bounce ideas off of that should be in our next meeting?

-(Trial Close)
"If we came up with an idea that solved the issues we discussed here, would you invest in your business?"

The Sales Process
P.N.C.S. Pitch, Negotiate, Close, and
Serve:
Pitching, negotiating, and closing should all
ideally be done in the second meeting with
the client. Service is everything you handle
after you get the “yes!”
The Sales Process
Pitching:
When going over a proposal with a client, YOU
set the pace…only give them one page of a
proposal at a time or use a laptop presentation so
they cannot flip to the “price”…this gives you
time to sell the value! You should be getting
verbal agreements with them at each step/page of
the pitch which are called mini-closes. This gets
their agreement to the proposal throughout the
presentation.

The Sales Process
Negotiating & Closing:
Not every deal will go exactly as you plan, so shoot for the sky with
your pricing so that you can successfully negotiate to a bottom line
total both parties can will be happy with…you will need to:
1. Overcome objections
2. Give/Take concessions (don’t give one without getting one in
return!)
3. Ask for the business! OVER AND OVER! It will take a minimum
of 3 asks for the business in most cases. You are doing your
prospective client a disservice by allowing them to get out of the
negotiation without investing in you and your product!

The Sales Process
Overcoming Objections:
There is an answer for every
objection…
The Sales Process
NEVER give a concession without getting
one in return…if they ask for added value,
reply with: “If I give you this xyz added
value right now, I need you to commit on
paper to this deal right now…let’s begin
this program next week!”

The Sales Process
Asking for the business:
This sounds like a self-explanatory part of the
process, but amazingly, it’s a part that many new
(and veteran) sellers shy away from after they go
through the proposal…most sales require the seller
to ask for the business at least 3 different times
during the negotiation, phrased 3 different ways!
Bottom line, you must be relentless, and the
rewards will be extremely lucrative!

The Sales Process
Service:
So you’ve gotten the order…it’s not over,
not by a long shot…now the real work
starts.
Servicing, Upselling and keeping a client are what will
bring them back for more, and get you the
referrals…or, it will lose you future
business if client service is ignored!

This is a process that does not end after
your first year, second year, or tenth year.
Instead it’s a process that you will go
though over and over in your sales
career…each time becoming more keen
with your skills and experience, making for
a very successful career!

SOLD! TV Show Pitch

2009-03-10T14:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6YSxpMxxYA

I'm Looking forward to it!

2009-03-10T09:10:00.000-04:00

“I’m looking forward to it!” I've heard people saying this kind of thing all the time…what do
they really mean? Are they looking forward to something because they aren’t happy with
“right now?”
“Right Now” is what I’m looking forward to! This is not your average post, and I’m not
your average writer. That’s why I’m writing this...for all of us out there who are thinking
(or hoping) that they will have something to look forward to in the future. Well, here’s
the good news, no matter what it is, you should be looking forward to it!
Now, unless you’re headed to prison or death row, virtually everything has the
opportunity to be positive. No, this isn’t a “Rah Rah” book either…so don’t worry. This
is a lifestyle change.
Let me give you a really simple personal example:
I’m looking forward to dinner…
I’m looking forward to seeing my girlfriend…
I’m looking forward to meeting my friends this weekend…
I’m looking forward to vacation…
I’m looking forward to…well, you get the idea…
So now you may be saying, “Ok, well no kidding Nick! Everyone looks forward to those
things, because they make you happy, they change your state of being, and they make
you feel better than you feel right now.”

Forget everything you've ever learned about sales...

2009-03-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

Whether you've been selling or driving a sales force for 1 year or 40 years, you can still learn. This blog is dedicated to those of us who are both sales professionals, and business owners that are driving sales...it will answer questions, give commentary, and most importantly, be the most motivationally different blog about the sales process that you've ever read!