Build Their Pain

Tired of all the rejections?
Want to stop getting rejected and get more sales?
Want to get a three step process that will allow you to make more money?
Read on...

Say that you are a salesperson in charge of selling a product which would help people save on their utility bills. Most people would pick up the phone and, after introducing themselves, would say something like this:

"I am calling to see if you would be interested in implementing our new product which will help you save money on your utility bills"

Such a sales-pitch is likely to result in plenty of rejections. If you want to cut the number of rejections and increase the number of sales, try this three step process instead.

Say this


(1) "I am calling because we believe that you are OVERPAYING on your bills"
Build the other person's pain by showing them how they are currently suffering. In this case, the potential client's problem is that they're paying more than they should be paying.
After you've given them the problem-statement, then go on and offer the solution:


(2) "We have a new service which will allow you to CUT THE EXCESS PAYMENTS."
Frame the solution in terms of something which will reduce their pain

(3) "Would be interested in getting together next weekend to see how we can help you SAVE OVER 30% on your bills?"
Finally, frame the solution in terms of benefits


Result of this three step method?
Fewer rejections, more sales :)

Sales/ Cold Calling Techniques

At the end of the cold call, instead of pressuring the other person, try to get their commitment by asking them this simple question:

Where do we go from here?

When asking for an appointment:

With your permission, would it be alright if I touched base with you tomorrow at 11am?

How to handle common objections, such as "We're already using somebody else" or "We don't have the budget"

That's not a problem.

 I wasn't looking to replace what you currently have. I was just wondering if you were willing to be open to a new perspective/opportunity that you may not have now. 

What to do when someone calls to ask for "more information"
That's not a problem. Would it make sense if we first figured out what are the two or three core problems you are trying to solve, then I can figure out how to best help you solve them.  

Use Dialogue, Not Narration

by Craig Valentine
http://www.craigvalentine.com/the-1-storytelling-mistake-speakers-make-and-3-ways-to-fix-it/

By far the most common mistake speakers make with their stories is having too much narration and not enough dialogue. For example, they’ll say something like the following:

“And the principal threw me out of the school and told me never to come back.” Now that’s narration. However, dialogue would go something like this:

“And the principal looked me directly in the eyes and said, ‘Mr. Valentine, you are expelled. Don’t ever step a foot back into this building.’” That’s dialogue.

3 Types of Dialogue:

Dialogue between Characters

The key to using dialogue in between characters is to set up the dialogue with a bit of narration. For example, the narration part was “I was so upset about this I called my friend Steve and I said…” That narration set up the dialogue of “Steve, you’re positive. Tell me something…". 

The other key to using dialogue between characters is to make sure we know which character is talking. To do this, you can put the recipient’s name in the line of dialogue (i.e. “Steve, tell me something…)

Inner Dialogue

Whereas dialogue between characters brings your audience into a scene, inner dialogue does something even greater. It brings your audience into your character’s mind. The key to using inner dialogue is to avoid the phrase “I thought to myself…” Whenever I hear someone use that phrase, I ask, “Well, who else are you going to think to?” Just say, “I thought…” or “I’m thinking…” Please remember that reactions tell the story

 

Audience Dialogue

This is one of the most important yet most neglected tools you can use as a speaker. Give the audience dialogue. This simply means, verbalize their thoughts in dialogue form:
For example, you might tell what seems like a crazy story and then say, “You’re probably saying, ‘Craig, that’s crazy!’”

Some of the phrases you can use to give your audience dialogue are the following:

• You’re looking at me as if to say, “Scott…(dialogue)”
• Now you might say, “Janet…(dialogue)”
• You say, “Craig…(dialogue)”

 

Turn Strangers into Customers: What Do You Do for A Living?

Anyone ever asked you what you do for a living?

Imagine this scenario. A woman who works in the Wealth Management Divison (lets call her Ms. Bank) and a mega-rich man (lets call him Mr. Money) meet for the first time at  a social gathering.

*After exchanging some greetings, here's how the conversation goes:

Mr. Money: What do you do for a living?
Ms. Bank: I work in the Wealth Management Department at Bank XYZ.
Mr. Money: Good for you.

Nothing wrong with that conversation. However, Ms. Bank could have potentially gotten another customer if she'd crafted a creative response to the question "What do you do for a living?". Here's how that conversation would go:

Mr. Money: What do you do for a living?
Ms. Bank: I help people increase their wealth so that they can enjoy a more enjoyable lifestyle without having to work harder.
Mr. Money: How do you do that?
Ms. Bank: Well, why don't you tell me what you do and I'll show you how what I do applies to you...
Mr. Money: All right. I am the CEO of Corporation XYZ.
Ms. Bank: Great! Well, what I do is to help CEOs such as yourself [show the person that you've helped people similar to them] create a customized retirement plan so that they can make their money work for them. In fact, we've had several CEOs who've doubled their wealth because of working with my company [give brief example of success stories. If you can mention the name of someone they know, even better].
Mr. Money: Wow, that's pretty impressive.
Ms. Bank: *Smile* You seem interested, and you're the right sort of customer who can benefit greatly from our services. Why don't we talk about this some other time? Here's my contact card. Why don't you give me yours- [make sure you ask for their contact details so that you can contact them later] so that we can meet up sometime next week to see if there's anything that we might be able to do for you...



Lesson:
Craft a creative response to the question 'What do you do for a living?'
Instead of simply stating your position/title/company name, highlight the benefit that you offer customers (e.g. a insurance salesman might say, "You know how there's so many things that happen in people's life that we don't plan for? Well, I help secure people against the financial risks of unforseen circumstances).

Find a creative way to highlight what you do for a living, and you'll be able to convert total strangers into customers!

Sales Influence

Cold Calling Technique: Why Don't I Drop That Off?
Cold-calling is scary, but if you learn to do it correct, it's also exhilarating.

Imagine this scenario.
You're on the phone and you're giving your best sales pitch. Halfway through, the person on the other end of the line says, "Why don't you send me the information and I'll look through it?"

What are the chances that that person will actually be waiting for your information? And that when it arrives, they'll remember you? And that they'll actually stop what they're doing and they'll read it? And then take the time to call you back and sign up for your offer?

Pretty slim. Probably zero.

So, next time someone such a scenario plays out, here's what your response should be:

Prospect: Why don't you send me the information, and I'll review it?
Your Response: I could do that, but I also know that you're still going to have questions. So why don't I stop by and drop off the information personally? Would Monday or Thursday work for you?

This response will allow you to set up a face-to-face appointment, which is an easier sell than a cold call.

Three tips for directing your audience's response

Three tips for directing your audience's response

by Speak Schmeak

 
1. Be specific.

You want to know how many of your audience members have performed a particular procedure recently. But "recently" is relative. Some people might think "recently" means "in the last two weeks." Some may think you're asking about the last six months.

2. Direct your question with clear words and concepts.

I have a client who wants to know what her audience thinks of when they hear the word "epilepsy." But what she really wants to know is what myths and beliefs they've heard about epilepsy and seizures. She's looking for responses like "frothing at the mouth," and "you have to put something between their teeth" and "they might swallow their tongue."
In order to phrase her question to get the answers she wants, she has to be very specific: "What are some of the popular beliefs about epilepsy and seizures," might be one way to go. She might also use visual words like "What do you picture/imagine/envision when you think about seizures?" This will help the audience recall the images and pictures they have in their minds.
 

 3. How to Ensure You Get Responses to Non-Rhetorical Questions:

Sometimes a speaker thinks he's asking a question of the audience and hopes for an answer, but doesn't get one. This is frequently due to how the question is phrased. For example, if you say, "How did we get into this situation?" your audience could perceive that as rhetorical, especially if you don't give them enough time to formulate their answers.

A better way to ask might be to say, "What do you think are some of the reasons we've ended up in this situation?" And then pause and stand ready with your flip chart and markers to write down the answers!

A similar kind of question is the one where you ask, "Have you ever experienced this?" or "Have you ever felt this way?" The audience may nod or smile, but if you actually want the question answered, say " How many of you have experienced this?" That way, you get an active response, a show of hands.

 

4-Step Formula for Making Your Speech Stick and Shine

4-Step Formula for Making Your Speech Stick and Shine
by Craig Valentine (http://www.craigvalentine.com/blog/)

The following is an excerpt from The Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking book, which I wrote in 2005. It includes a 4-step formula you can use to make your messages stick and shine. I used this formula for several years and many of my students still use it with great success. 

State – Illustrate – Apply – Sell – Restate

State Your Point
First, I usually state the point I am going to make. However, sometimes I hide the point in the middle or the end of the story to keep my audience curious. Don’t worry, because  as long as you firmly establish the conflict (click here for more on this) in your story, your audience will stay with you.

Illustrate it with a Story/Activity/Analogy
Then I illustrate the point through a story or through some kind of quick example. Some humorous situations, activities, and visuals can help illustrate the points as well.

Apply it to the Life of Your Listener
Next I apply the point to the audience. In other words, I get them to see what this point has to do with them. This is the step most speakers neglect. You need to find ways to make your audience feel that they can use your message for their lives. They did not come to hear your verbal autobiography. They came to get lessons for their own lives.

Sell the BenefitsThen I sell the point using the push (what happens when they don’t adhere to your point), pull (what happens when they do adhere to your point), and passion and by thoroughly understanding and expressing what benefits or results they can receive.

Restate
Finally, I restate the point to drive it home and provide completeness to it. I may restate it using different words throughout the story but then I always eventually come back to repeating the actual Foundational Phrase I want my audience to remember.

From the Theoretical to the Practical (Provide a Technique)Depending on the type of speech it is and how much time I am given, I may or may not follow the sell section by giving a technique or strategy. Usually I do, because I believe that people will stay motivated if they have tangible things to do. You can have a longer-lasting effect on your audience if you provide techniques to go along with your theories. We should go from the theoretical to the practical and from the general to the specific. For example, after going through the story, the push and pull, and the benefits of using your imagination, I may say something like the following:

One way to sharpen your imagination is to write down your perfect day. Write it out in as much detail as possible. I did this several years ago and everything I wrote down is coming to pass. I said I wanted to be a full-time professional speaker; now I am a full-time professional speaker. I said I wanted to own my own business; now I own my own business. I said I wanted a white Mercedes Benz convertible; now I have a white… Honda Accord! I’m getting there!

This helps sell my audience on the technique of writing down their perfect day and it gives them something to do long after I have left the speaking platform. Give them something specific to do and watch as organizations remember you and keep bringing you back time and time again.