As the economy heats up staffing firms again are hiring sales reps to bring in the business.  Regarding the specific task of hiring sales personnel, staffing firms have the exact same challenges of their clients.  They hire sales people they like.  Not a prudent practice.  There are many practices a staffing company can do to increase the success of hiring sales reps.  The results are worth thousands of dollars…, in your favor.

 When to hire a Sales Personnel

Astute business owners typically use an economic model to assist them in deciding when to retract staff or add on staff.  An economic model is not a budget or a particular profit and loss format.  Rather, an economic model is a financial model that one uses to stand one’s business up against to help make hiring decisions from a financial perspective. 

 In an economic mode, a business would have financial line item goals, and would be managing the business to or within these specific goals.  For example, the business may not want the general and administrative expenses to exceed a certain percentage of revenue or they may not want the sales expense to drop below a certain percentage of revenue.  Below are two economic models: one for a low margin staffing business unit and one for a fair margin staffing business unit. 

 In example 1, the “sales” expense is listed as 3% of revenue.  If the actual “sales” expense is 5% of revenue, then under this model, one will not be adding on sales executives.  Why, because the existing sales team has not reached full production levels and has additional capacity to generate revenue.  If the actual “sales” expense is 3% of revenue, then under this model, one will be adding sales personnel.  Why, because the existing sales reps are running at full production levels.  (One word of warning is, if the business’ compensation plan is too rich, than this dynamic will throw off the economic model.)

 In example 2, we are shooting for the 25% gross margin levels.  This is a staffing firm offering niche services.  We have more raw dollars to allocate toward the “sales” expense.  Great!  And because it is a staffing firm offering special niche staffing services, we generally end up paying healthy salaries plus a commission structure to sales reps.  All that said, the same guidelines will be in play.  In example 2, if the actual “sales” expense is 7% of revenue, than the business will not be adding on sales staff.  Why, they are under producing.  If the actual “sales” expense is 4% of revenue, the sales team is producing at above average levels.   It is time to add on the sales staff. 

 Another time to hire sales reps, beyond the economic models, is when the company has built out a strategic plan and has the plan, intent and money to open up in new markets.  Yes, we develop performa’s to assist us in making good decisions and managing how we are spending money in a new venture or new market.  But we are adding sales personnel based on strategic intent and our desire to grow the business. 

 Another time to hire sales reps is when our intuition over rides our logic.  Business people working in markets have a “feel” for the market.  They know when business is retracting or when business is picking up not based on the stock market but based on living and moving and operating in that particular business market.  We cannot shun this intuitive messages.  Therefore, a good time to hire a sales rep is when one has that certain feeling that buyers or the local market is beginning to move and shake in a good way. 

 Hiring Process

Process makes perfect.  The main benefit of having a hiring process is that the company ensures that no critical hiring steps are missed when the company is hiring personnel.  Many hiring mistakes are made when an owner or VP of Sales meets a prospect, likes this individual and hires them outside of standard operating procedures.  This is not unique to the staffing industry.  In general, small business struggle with establishing and remaining committed to a standard hiring process. 

Another main benefit of having a hiring process is that one person within the organization can in fact drive the process and be totally responsible for the execution of the hiring process.  If no one person is responsible for the execution of the hiring process then it is a simple case of too many cooks in the kitchen.  Typically, the human resources department assumes responsibility of facilitating the hiring process and making sure that all steps in the process have been fulfilled.  But this does not mean the human resources department would not work hand-in-hand with a Vice President or Regional Manager or Branch Manager. 

 A brief but adequate hiring process might flow as follows:

 Step 1 – Develop a hiring profile: a hiring profile includes particular job experiences and/or characteristic traits.  For example, we hire no candidates right out of college, candidates must have three plus years of selling experience, candidates must have experience selling services not products, candidates must have a college degree, etc.  The hiring profile will also include certain competencies the company is seeking in a suitable candidate such as computer skills, researching skills, phone prospecting skills, face-to-face selling skills, account management skills, etc.  Start with the end in mind and work your way to that outcome in a candidate. 

 Step 2 – Develop a job description: a job description includes specific job task duties that a sales representative has to perform in order to be awarded the job.  Some of these tasks in the staffing industry include researching, phone prospecting, face-to-face meeting with clients, making reference checks, problem solving, attending daily huddle meetings, working with the fulfillment team, etc.  What is going to increase your hiring matches?  Clearly articulating job task duties prior to hiring personnel. 

 Step 3 – Develop a job posting: A good job posting will include all vital information such as industry, job title, salary range, a couple of “must have’s” to apply, and a hook (what’s in it for them) to lure in candidates.  Some staffing firms do not put an email address in the posting, only the mobile number of the Branch Manager or Sales Manager.  Why?  Good sales candidate will weed out companies before the company has the opportunity to sell the candidate on the job.  It is best to have the first point of contact be the sales manager who can (a) hear how the candidate sounds on the phone and (b) close the candidate on a face-to-face interview .

 Step 4 – Posting the position: One can go the route of posting an open job on the well known job boards.  Keep in mind that there are 100’s of job boards that allow for free postings for specific job positions.  Don’t just post on a couple of job boards.  The company has to advertise the job via several job board mediums.  The lesson, cast the net wide. 

 Step 5 – Sort and prioritize candidates: As candidates come in, stand these candidates up against the “hiring profile”.  Now, the established hiring profile will act as the key criteria that will assist the hiring manager or the human resources department in prioritizing top candidates.  Smart sales reps don’t wait around.  If your response is too slow, then you are communicating to candidates that your organization is sluggish and not well managed.  Companies that have their act together make decisions, move on these decisions and make things happen.  And good candidates know it and will act accordingly. 

 Step 6 – Conduct phone interviews: phone interviews are very brief.  The company simply wants to make sure that the candidate has a good phone voice and good phone presence.  The company wants to validate a few items that are in the hiring profile to ensure that the candidate does in fact have these competencies and qualities.  Then the company will want to set up a face-to-face interview.  The key goal of the phone interview is to quickly reach out to the top candidates and get them in the office for a face-to-face. 

 Step 7 – Conduct face-to-face interviews: Face-to-face interviews can last anywhere from an hour to three hours.  The traditional “walk through the resume” technique is an easy way to get started but it wastes a lot of time forgoing more critical interviewing techniques.  What is important in a face-to-face interview is to get a really good feel about the candidate’s in-depth experience in particular competencies.  For example, “Tell me about your problem solving skills?”  “Give me an example where you faced a problem or conflict with another team member.  What did you do?  How did you resolve the conflict?  Where were the outcomes?”  The interviewer wants to dig deep and find out the details of how a candidate performed a certain competency.  Any candidate can say, “Yes, I have sold services.”  You want to have the candidate talk through several examples of how they in fact sold services…and a lot more of course.

 Step 8 – Utilize personality profiles: Industrial psychologists have been developing and validating “sales aptitude” surveys for years.  An acquiring company can purchase such tools for a relatively low price point.  $100 for a personality survey can save a company thousands of dollars on the back end by avoiding bad hires.  In any case, have the candidate take a personality profile.  Process the results with the candidate either in a second face-to-face interview or phone interview after the initial face-to-face interview.   Some EEOC laws do apply with these profiles, but nothing any staffing firm cannot handle.  The organizations selling the tools will guide any customer through these issues. 

 Step 9 – Make a verbal offer: Once the company locks in on a couple of candidates, a verbal offer is made.  A verbal offer is just that, verbal, not in writing.  The company doing the hiring will get a better feel of the candidate in this step.  It is not uncommon for candidates to put their best selling foot forward while interviewing.  When a verbal offer is made, many candidates will put down their guard and show more true colors.  Take note here.  It is critical to not ignore any intuitive hints that may emerge at this point in the hiring process. 

 Step 10 – Negotiate details: If things are positive and move forward, then negotiate all the details verbally on the front end.  First, this gives the candidate ownership in the employment relationship right from the start.  Secondly, the hiring company will also experience firsthand how the candidate performs negotiating skills.  Don’t be put back by a hard negotiator.  If a candidate is negotiating hard for a good deal, chances are that this candidate will negotiate just as hard for your company.

 Step 11 – Run back ground checks: Standard background checks include drug tests and background verification checks which include past employment compensation verification.  Again, many organizations provide this service and in today’s day and age. 

 Step 12 – Make a written offer: The written offer is the last piece.  It is a formality more than anything else.  All the negotiating should be completed prior to a written offer being sent.  There should be no surprises on either side of the equation.  If your firm does not have a standard offer letter, a simple internet search will offer plenty of reliable examples. 

 All said and done, hiring sales reps is not an easy task.  There is an art to the job of hiring sales reps.  Even if one has years of experience, mistakes are still had.  Nobody bats a thousand in this category.  However, a strong economic model and a solid hiring process can really help in minimizing mistakes and truly save the company thousands of dollars on the back end…, in your favor of course.

 Tom Kosnik assists staffing companies improve employee performance, corporate revenues and net income profits.  More can be learned at www.visusgroup.com.  Tom can be reached at 312-527-2950 or tkosnik@visusgroup.com

Over the last decade or so the profession of selling has gone through significant changes.  Whether you’re selling software, financial services, or BMWs the art and science that is sales has shifted from being a purely product or commodities driven industry to much more of a value based consultative industry.  The sales reps that have adapted with these changes have continued to be highly successful.  Those that have not are now doing something else with their lives.

Having said that, it’s vital to remember the importance of the mental aspect of selling.  You see it’s not just about having the best offerings or the best relationships.  That won’t insure you of success.  The great sales rep needs to go above and beyond with their effort.  But how do we do that?  How do we keep our drive?  Our motivation?

One of my first mentors in sales taught me something I have never forgot.  He said being a success in sales takes a “distinct winning mentality.”  It’s not just about preparation and hard work.  It’s also about having the proper mindset.  You need to be selling yourself every day on making the extra effort.  He taught me that if you look at your opportunity in sales like “a job “, you will be paid like an employee.  But if you look at your opportunity in sales like “a business “you can be paid like a business owner.  And if you look at your opportunity in sales like a “sport or a game “, you can be paid like a professional athlete.  And we all want to be paid like Lebron James!

The proper mindset will enable you to make an extra follow up call, send one more follow up email, and knock on one more door.  I have always said “ 5:30pm on a Friday afternoon are when heroes are made! “   Many years later and many deals later, I still believe that.  To turn that belief into activity and that activity into production requires the proper winning mindset.  Remember the movie Stripes the next time you need a professional pick me up.

“Selling…………it’s not just a job……it’s an adventure! “

Becoming unemployed often means more than losing your job. As the initial shock begins to wear off, you may very well start to experience emotional and financial stress. Worse yet, as this stress builds within you, your unemployment may affect your relationships with family and friends. The longer unemployment lasts, the greater the stress may become. If you are to survive, you need to read these 7 steps on coping with unemployment stress.

1. DON’T BLAME YOURSELF

If you were laid off due to budget cuts, you may initially feel responsible and that you did something wrong, or even wonder why they picked you above others. For all you know, your name was picked from a hat, so don’t start by blaming yourself. An employer making budget cuts has to pick someone. They weight many facts, look at everyone’s qualifications, and then have the difficult task of choosing. You won, but the prize just wasn’t a very good one.

2. ADJUST YOUR LIFE STYLE

You immediately need to sum up your current financial situation. Unless you have a lot of money saved up, you will need to start living on a reduced income for a while; so start preparing for it. Begin by cutting the unnecessary luxuries in your life like high speed internet, pay movie channels and extravagant phone services. Sit down with your family and decide what adjustments need to be made. If you got severance pay, don’t spend it like a bonus; you’re going to need it to survive until you find employment.

3. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

Getting regular sleep, eating properly and exercising are very important for keeping your head clear and your stress levels down. Don’t let the unemployment stress beat you into the ground; you’ll need to be in good shape and frame of mind to get your next job.

4. TAKE CARE OF YOUR MIND

This may not be for everyone, but you need to keep your spiritual mind strong. Pray, read the Bible, and have faith that God has a new path for you to follow. Faith goes a long way in helping you cope. A friend once told me; “When God takes something from your hand, He is just making room for something greater”

5. COMMUNICATE

Discuss the situation. Don’t carry the burden alone. Your family and friends are your support system. Networking with others may land you an interview somewhere. Please don’t under estimate the need to network. Over 70% of jobs are landed through networking, not via online resume submission! Get out of the house and start participating in networking groups. Be sure to let everyone know you are in the market for a job.

6. CREATE A SCHEDULE

Organize your day around the task of finding a job, but set limits. Get up, shower, get dressed just like you were going to work. Your new job is finding a job; treat it like one. Evenings and weekends should be for family, relaxation and recreation.

7. START YOUR NEW JOB

Looking for a job is a full-time endeavor and the most important thing you can do right now. You are most attractive to other employers when you are first laid off so don’t start by taking a few months off before the job searching starts.

So remember, don’t fall prey to unnecessary stress. Follow the 7 steps to coping with unemployment stress by not blaming yourself, getting control of your finances, and taking care of your body and mind. Then don’t forget to communicate with those close to you. Let others help you carry the burden. Finally, make sure you schedule your time wisely so you can plan your job search, network with others, and land that next job.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Campanaro

Known also as the “Recruiting Coordinator“, “Contract Recruiter“, “Hiring Consultant” or simply the “HR Person”, these individuals have become the central cog in most sales organizations hiring process in recent years. The problem is that they have also become the central reason why most sales organizations fail to attract the right candidates. There are several reasons for this.

One, since most internal recruiters, etc. are relegated to looking for candidates on the job boards, they get to choose from the best of the unemployed. Whether it’s Monster, CareerBuilder, or Dice the majority of sales candidates that are available at these venues are individuals desperate for a job. Even with the advent of LinkedIn finding a true “A” player here, that will positively impact a sale team’s numbers, is not feasible. Most top flight sales people use LinkedIn to network, not to look for a job. As a result, the inability of the Internal Recruiter to go out and directly recruit the top talent out of a company’s competition, insures the subpar level of talent that they must then settle for by using the boards.

Two, the interview process or hiring criteria that Internal Recruiters utilize does not serve to attract the very best candidates. It only alienates them. When the # 1 sales producer in a specific region, with years of relevant experience and a rolodex of clients to call on, cannot get passed an internal HR screen because he or she does not have the proper college major listed on the education part of their resume it results in that candidate never wanting to go to work for that company anytime in the future. It also begs the question, “Why? “ Is it because most Internal Recruiters cannot distinguish the difference between a professional sales person and a “professional interviewer?” Or is it because filling out the blanks on a preprinted form takes precedence over actually listening to a candidate’s answers? One could even argue that job justification may in fact supersede their desire for results. For if all the open positions get filled, then what’s the need for the internal recruiter anymore?

Lastly, the overall insecurity that most Internal Recruiters carry around drives them into having adversarial relationships with external search firms. More often than not Internal Recruiters will go out of their way to “freeze out “ an external search firm for fear that the firm may produce a candidate who will vault to the top of the list. Sometimes this manifests itself by the Internal Recruiter claiming “We have no need to use outside agencies at this time.“ Other times, the external search firm will not have their calls returned, even when they are representing a superstar player. In the mind of the Internal Recruiter, it’s much better to extend the search time indefinitely rather than risk having to answer the question, “Why couldn’t you find this person?” Once again, the sales manager’s needs and the company’s goals take a back seat to the Internal Recruiter’s job security.

You might be asking why companies allow this to go on. The truth is sometimes, they just aren’t aware of the severity of the situation. Other times, the hiring manager will tolerate some level of ineptitude because at least their Internal Recruiter will offload much of the minutia associated with hiring, like filtering through resumes, conducting initial phone screens, etc. that the hiring manager has no interest in spending time on. Years of experience tell us that hiring is the least favorite task of sales managers because it is a non revenue producing activity. Regardless of the real reason, questions remain.

“Managers……..what is the price of convenience?!“
“Internal Recruiters…….What is your purpose if you can’t or won’t recruit?!”
“CEOs………Do you really know who’s minding your store?!“

One of the smartest things that you can ever do for yourself is to develop the habit of saving part of your salary, every single paycheck. Individuals, families and even societies are stable and prosperous to the degree to which they have high savings rates. Savings today are what guarantee the security and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Start With Yourself
The first corollary of the Law of Saving comes from the book The Richest Man in Babylon by George Classon. It is to “Pay yourself first.”

Begin today to save ten percent of your earnings, off the top, and never touch it. This is your fund for long-term financial accumulation and you never use it for any other reason except to assure your financial future.

Develop New Habits Regarding Money
The remarkable thing is that when you pay yourself first, and force yourself to live on the other ninety percent, you will soon become accustomed to it. You are a creature of habit. When you regularly put away ten percent of your earnings, you soon become comfortable living on the other ninety percent. Many people start by saving ten percent of their income and then graduate to saving fifteen percent, twenty percent, and even more. And their financial lives change dramatically as a result. So will yours.

Take Every Advantage
The second corollary of the Law of Saving says, “Take advantage of tax deferred savings and investment plans.” Because of high and even multiple tax rates, money that is saved or invested without being taxed accumulates at a rate of 30% to 40% faster than money that is subject to taxation. Self-made millionaires, according to Dr Thomas Stanley’s book The Millionaire Next Door, are almost obsessive about accumulating their funds in assets such as real estate, self owned businesses and equities that increase in value without triggering tax liabilities.

Invest in company pension and retirement plans, 401(k) plans, IRA’s, Keough Plans, Roth IRA’s, Education Investment Accounts, stock option programs and whatever else has been approved by the IRS for long term financial accumulation. Make every dollar count!

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately:

First, begin today to put away ten percent of your earnings. Set up a special account for this purpose and treat your contributions to this account with the same respect that you do your rent or mortgage payments each month.

Second, become a lifelong student of money. Read the best books, take courses and subscribe to the most helpful magazines. Know what you are doing so you can always make intelligent decisions when you invest your funds.

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What Do You Think?

A good salesperson asks questions and listens to the customer. Most people would agree, but does that mean that you will succeed with all customers if all you do is ask questions and listen?

A good salesperson knows how to “ask for the order” and is good at closing. Most people would agree, but does that mean that you will succeed with all customers if all you do is close?

A good salesperson knows his or her products and services, and can describe the features and benefits to customers in a persuasive manner. Most people would agree, but does that mean that you will succeed with all customers if all you do is increase your product knowledge?

What’s The Common Denominator?

Should salespeople use the same approach with all customers? No! In our experience the best salespeople vary their “selling style” depending on the other person and the situation. Yes, questioning and listening, asking for the order, and product knowledge are all important. But, what is MORE IMPORTANT is knowing when to use each of these skills and techniques. That is what we mean by selling style flexibility.

Selling Styles
There are four distinct selling styles. Each style is characterized by certain behaviors and tendencies. Keep in mind that successful salespeople can and do use all four styles, but they primarily use a combination of the first three styles.

Collaborative Sellers tend to ask questions, listen actively, brainstorm with the customer, strive for partnerships, and value long-term relationships. They genuinely solicit input and suggestions from the customer. In a phrase, “We are in this together.”

Technical Sellers view themselves as the expert, like to talk about features and benefits, make recommendations, problem solve and are perceived as rational and objective. In a phrase, “Let me tell you about my product or service.”

Closers are good at closing and generating results. They tend to make aggressive offers, like to wheel-and-deal, sometimes try to close too soon, and are satisfied to make an immediate sale even at the expense of a long-term relationship. In a phrase, “What do I have to do to get your business today?”

Reluctant Sellers are sensitive to signs of rejection or failure and will err on the side of ending a sales call too soon rather than create hostility or risk rejection by the customer. If Closers are at one extreme on the fight-or-flight continuum, Reluctant Sellers are at the other extreme. In a phrase, “Look this over and we’ll talk again next time.”

About the Author:

Bill McCormick is the founder and president of Sales Training And Results, Inc. (STAR), a firm specializing in customized sales training and consulting. Bill has over sixteen year’s experience in consulting with senior managers and coaching sales executives and professionals

Bill has written numerous sales articles and been published in magazines such as Sales and Marketing Management. This article provides an overview of “selling styles,” a topic that is described in more detail in the Sales Training And Results, Inc. (STAR) Selling Skills Workshop. If you have a question or want to read more on the subject of selling style flexibility, visit our webpage at www.salestrainingandresults.com and contact us by email at info@salestrainingandresults.com.

There is a little test that professional buyers give to every sales person. It is a test to see if they are confident in the price they presented. They call it the flinch test. Will you pass the test?

After a lengthy buying process, the time has come to submit pricing. Countless hours are spent formulating a glorious proposal that details your comprehensive solution. Proud of your accomplishment, you present the proposal to the buyer. Skipping the sections about your company and your solution, she flips right to the pricing page. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t think it would be this expensive!”

What happens next determines whether or not you will get the business. When I say “get” the business, there are two sides to consider. The obvious is whether or not the prospect will award the business to you. The less obvious is whether your company will agree to their desired price level. The negotiation may get to a point where the prospect says they want to award you the business, but at a price unacceptable to your company. If you’ve ever been there, it is painful to say the least. As a sales person, you have a responsibility to facilitate the process in a way that leads to a mutually acceptable conclusion.

There is a trade secret in the purchasing world. They call it the “flinch test.” This is the test Procurement Agents and other professional buyers give to sales people when they provide pricing. “Wow! You are 25% higher than your competition.” These pros are trained to react with surprise so that they can see if the sales person is confident in the price they have put forward. It is nothing more than a straightforward negotiation tactic. Often times, they overstate the price difference such that you can do some quick math and see that the differential is bogus. I can recall a time where I was told that we were 50% higher than the competition. When I reviewed the numbers, this meant that the competitor was losing 18% based on fixed costs that we both had. It was highly unlikely that the competitor was signing up for this kind of an account. When I asked the Procurement Agent about that figure again, he flinched and we ultimately won the business.

The key to passing the flinch test is to respond with confidence in your price. If you don’t believe you are providing a fair, competitive price for the solution, my question is why are you presenting it anyway? One would hope that you have integrity so why present something you don’t believe in?

Some responses that cause you to fail the flinch test.

• What price were you looking for?
• I’ll ask my manager if we can do better.
• How about if I take 10% off?

The reason these are failed responses is that they create trust issues with the prospect. Were you trying to rip them off with the price you presented? One of two things is true. Either you were trying to rip them off or you believe you provided a fair price. What other option is there? Some will say that they were preparing for a negotiation. That’s a fair point; however, it is a terrible negotiation strategy to give the appearance that you will drop your price first moment someone balks. That approach gives the impression that you sought to gouge them.

Most negotiations end at the middle ground. They wanted 5; you wanted 10 and settled at 7.5. That seems logical. However, if you lower your price early, the middle ground is lower. In the same scenario, if you dropped to 8 right off the bat, the middle becomes 6.5. As I mentioned, you have to manage the negotiation such that the middle is not lower than an acceptable price for your company.

Successful sales people have a planned, or dare I say “canned,” response for the flinch test. They don’t expect a prospect to respond with excitement about a price. They anticipate shock and have a process to handle it. Here are their secrets…

1. They set expectations upfront. Early in the buying process, they set the expectation that they are not the low price provider. “To be clear, our company is rarely the low bid, does that mean that we won’t be working together on this project?” If they say no, you are set for the later phases of the process. If they say yes, at least you haven’t invested a ton of time in an account that you won’t win. If you are going to lose, lose early.
2. They don’t flinch! “I’m not surprised by your reaction. I get that a lot. As I mentioned at the outset, we are rarely the low bidder.”
3. They seek to understand. “When you say that you are shocked by the price, which part is surprising? This is the subject of another article of tine which addresses the importance of understanding the prospect’s perspective of price.
4. They reinforce their position. “Since we are rarely the low price provider, what do you think our 1000 clients see that leads them to pay a little more to have us?

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to participate in Procurement Training. Think of it as sales training for buyers. After the session, I had an interesting conversation with the trainer. Here’s what he told me…

“For 25 years, sales people asked me for coaching on the price of their proposal as I was the head of Procurement for my company. I told each one of them the same thing. Provide us with the best price that you feel good about giving and either way, you win. I always got a puzzled expression from that. Let me explain. If we award the business to you at that price, you’re happy. If we award the business to someone else at a lower price, you are happy as well because you wouldn’t have been happy to support the account at that price point.”

To share a little secret, I use the flinch test all the time when I buy. It’s amazing how quickly sales people drop their drawers on price. I bet I’ve saved my family 20% across the board for all of our spending just with that test. It’s no wonder that professional buyers use this. I often wonder how many commission dollars were lost just because they flinched. How may commission dollars have you lost because you flinched?

Articles contributed by the following Affiliates of SalesAnimals.com

Lee B. Salz is President of Sales Dodo, LLC and author of “Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager.” He specializes in helping companies and their sales organizations adapt and thrive in the ever-changing world of business. Lee is available for keynote speaking, business consulting, and sales training. He can be reached via email at lsalz@salesdodo.com, his website at www.salesdodo.com or by phone at 763.416.4321

The keys to outselling your competition is to compare your product to theirs. When you find the differences between products, use your findings to improve your product. Below are 12 things you can compare and improve upon to outsell your competition.

1. Price- Can you offer a lower price? Can you offer a higher price and increase the perceived value of your product? Do you offer easier payment options than your competition?
2. Packaging- Can you package your product more attractively? Do the colors of your package relate to your product? Can you package your product into a smaller or larger package?
3. Delivery- Can you offering cheaper shipping? Do you have a high enough profit margin to offer free shipping? Can you ship your products faster?
4. Benefits- Can you offer more benefits than your competition? Are your benefits stronger? Do you have believable proof that supports your claims?
5. Quality- Is your product built and tested to last longer than your competition? Can you improve the overall quality of your product?
6. Performance- Can you make your product faster at solving your customers problem? Is your product easier to use than your competitions?
7. Features- Can you offer more product features than your competition? Do your features support the benefits you offer?
8. Availability- Is your product always available or do your have to backorder it? Can your product suppliers drop ship to your customers?
9. Extras- Do you provided free bonuses when your customers buy your product? Are your bonuses more valuable than your competitions?
10. Service- Do you offer your customers free 24 hour customer service? Can you provide free product repair? Does your competition make their customers talk to a machine?
11. Proof- Can you provide more proof than your competition that your product is reliable? Can you provide stronger testimonials or endorsements?
12. Guarantees- Do you have a stronger guarantee than your competition? Do you offer warranties with your product? Do you provide an easier return policy?

© 2004 Larry Dotson

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Sales is a complex business. We all know from our years of experience, training, and knowledge, that there are many different ways of closing a sale. What is the best strategy to employ when attempting to close a sale? There are many closing techniques that all sales professionals learn over the years. The question is, which one works best? Well, a long time ago I heard a top producer say “the secret to closing sales is doing things right during the whole sales process. If you do that, closing the sale is easy.”

When I heard that, I thought it was brilliant. It all makes complete sense. It doesn’t matter how crafty your close is, if the customer doesn’t like you, you won’t get the sale. If you present your product well and get the customer to like you, you will get the sale. I am sure we all know how to effectively demonstrate our product, but getting the prospect to like us is a different game . All people are different, and it isn’t always easy to get prospects to genuinely like us and want to buy from us. When I think back over the years , I realize that every time I have had the prospect laughing with me, I have gotten the sale. It works every time.

Well placed humorous remarks that get the customer to relax and let their guard down, is the best way to get a prospect to like you. I’m not talking about being a clown or overdoing it, I’m talking about being yourself and showing the prospect that you are a real person with personality and you are on their side.

I have had some moments over the years when the customer and I were both laughing our heads off, and I cherish those sales above all the rest. Recently a customer asked me what kind of warranty the product I was pitching had and I jokingly replied ‘what do you want to hear?’. The customer really thought that was funny and then he said many humorous things himself that had me laughing and we formed a great bond. I knew I would get the sale , and I did. Another example is once a customer asked me if I get paid commission and I replied “No, no the truth is, I don’t get paid a dime here, I am here on strictly a voluntary basis….I’m here to help, you are the real winner.” They liked that a lot and they ended up buying too.

These are just a few examples, but I think you understand where I’m coming from. As much as we hate to admit it, people in our society, don’t have a very high opinion of salespeople. This is hard to realize because we are all such a fabulous bunch, but it’s true. When a prospect first engages us, they don’t like us or trust us. It’s our job to break down the walls they put up and show them we are decent people too. Using humor will break down those walls more than anything else. So, the next time you talk to a customer, joke around with them and get them to have a good time with you. If you do, you will get the sale every time, and then you will be laughing too…..all the way to the bank!!

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Justin Demetsky has been in sales for over seven years in many industries including real estate, auto and mortgages. He has been a top producer everywhere he has worked. He is currently an Account Executive for Manufacturers Resource Network where he sells construction equipment. Justin grew up in Virginia and attended Robert Morris University where he was an offensive lineman on the football team. In 2002 Justin moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where he currently resides.