prospecting, patrick henry, Dani johnson, selling, seller, marketing

Successful sellers have one thing in common….the ability
to effectively propspect. Sellers who consistently generate
qualified leads will make more sales and recruit more people
to their organization.

Prospecting is where selling starts. Selling is just not
selling your product or service, it is also selling yourself
as a person of integrity and a person others would like to work with.
Prospecting is the direct contact with a person that you want to possibly
have as a client or customer or business partner.

Prospecting involves taking the time to qualify or get to know the person to discover
their needs or situation and determine whether your product or service will meet those
needs and offer a solution. Prospecting and qualifiying is a process and can take time so
do not forget about continuing to build your pipeline so you always have
a fresh stream of people to qualify and talk with.

Sellers who do not achieve the success they desire fail to keep their
pipeline full of prospects. They need to be involved in opportunities to meet others.
Chamber of Commerce events, a booth at your local county fair, joining groups online,
Social Media places such as Facebook or Twitter are all ways to meet others and
start building prospecting relationships.

The successful marketer is seeks ways to improve themselves through
personal growth and development as well as professional training and skill
development. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways attenting group
seminars or training courses, online webinars, college classes,
books and one-to-one training.

One such company, Patrick Henry International offers books, trainings and
methodologies for prospecting and selling. Visit their website at: http://www.patrickhenryinc.com
to learn more about their 4 core training programs and to get a listing of Patrick Henry Hansen\’s books.

Dani Johnson is a renowned motivational speaker and author.
She has a great story and has changed thousands of lives
through her trainings and teachings. Personal growth and
development go hand and hand with successful prospecting and
business success and DaniJohnson is one of the best. Visit
her site: www.danijohnson.com to see the free tools and resources
she offers and also check out her list of live seminars held across the country.

There is an island off the tip of Hawaii that is inhabited by a tribe of people that worship the god “Earl”

Earl lives on the reef that surrounds the island from invaders and unwanted guests. Earl is worshiped by these people and he answers their every question. Whenever they need to know something they go to the ocean reef and ask “Earl” for his help and guidance. They alwasy refer to him as “Reef Earl”. 

He never let’s them down and always supplies them with everything they need. although we do not live on the island we need to become great friends with “Earl” and we need t ask for his help when we need it! We need  always remember and never forget to always, every time …”ASK FOR REEF EARL!

What is a Sales Referral?

A sales referral is when you, as a sales professional, ask a client, a prospect (or even an acquaintance or friend) for the name and contact information of someone who might have an interest, need or want for your product or service. An introduction to the individual makes the sales referral even more powerful.

But first how do you get sales referrals and introductions. The answer is simple – ASK! You already know that you have the right to ask. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. If you ask, you have a 50-50 chance of getting one, and if you don’t, there is nothing lost as you cannot loose something you never had.

Simple make it a habit to ask everyone and you will no longer be making cold calls, but working strictly on a sales referral basis. Ask more to sell more! Don’t miss out on this tremendous lead source!

The other option is word of mouth, where you provide an outstanding service and other talks about you. However, if you do not ask for testimonial letters, or for a sales referral, the chances of getting one out of the blue are slim.

You are given a sales referral because you have earned the other person’s trust and they think that you can actually help someone else. Do you believe in yourself, in helping others and do you trust yourself? If you don’t, nobody else will either.

A sales referral allows you to introduce yourself through that person’s name, creating commonality and an immediate level of trust.

There are several reasons why you should ask for a sales referral. When you call a sales referral and encounter their voice mail, be sure to mention the name of the person who provided their name. The sales referral tends to respond faster and at a much higher rate compared to voice mails you leave when making cold calls.

A sales referral has affinity with you and that begins to create an element of trust. And quite frankly, most feel a sense of duty or obligation to those who referred their name. They feel compelled to call back just in case they are asked. Either way, it works for you.

Sales referrals tend to listen and engage you more closely when you finally reach them. Typically, they don’t see you as “just another sales rep.” A tentative bond is created in your mutual acquaintance. The sales referral is curious and wonders why his or her name was passed on. In simple terms, this gives you a significant edge.

Sales referrals tend to buy at a higher rate compared to cold calls and other lead sources. There are three reasons for this: First, people usually refer others who are in similar situations. They tend to have similar problems, concerns, needs, wants and opportunities. This usually means there is a strong application for your product or services. In short, they are more qualified.

Second, as mentioned above, sales referrals tend to listen more closely to your message. They do not ‘dismiss’ you as quickly or as lightly as they do other sales reps.

And third, the sales referral’s trust is typically higher with you because he or she can “check you out.” You have an instant credibility source. Every buyer is looking for someone they can trust and depend upon. Having evidence of success with a known acquaintance makes buying easier for referral and easier for you.

Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Professionals are prepared. Period.

Little is left to chance with those at the top of the sales world. Opening statements with cold prospects are ready to go at all moments. Differentiating features and benefits are top of mind. Challenges to meeting objectives are predicted and examined. Appropriate responses are prepared and practiced.

If it can be identified, thought through and practiced in advance… it is.

Start with the SalesReady™ checklist for those who sell. Because it’s general in scope, you’ll find some areas of preparation that may not apply to your sales world and others that may need to be expanded.

While some of these items in many larger organizations can be the responsibility of other departments, the professional leaves nothing to chance. Take full ownership of your preparedness and use what’s provided, create what’s not, and improve
what’s weak.

This is a guideline to examining how ready you are and a thought prompt to fine-tuning your messages and process. If you lead a team, use it as a guide for sales training beyond product knowledge.

It’s your sales life. You’re responsible for your results.

Find More @ Just Sell.com

I’ve seen a lot of Twitter Tips on increasing followers but this set of ideas struck me as a bit more practical.

I’ve copied them in here from a post on RYZE by Linda Anderson.

8  Ways to Increase Twitter Followers

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