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Ask Questions to Close

I used to be in your shoes. A long time ago, I struggled with closing. I had a little voice telling me all the reasons why I couldn’t do it.

But you know what?

I found that if you lay down the proper foundation, closing is a natural end to a conversation.

Let me tell you what I mean by that…

There are certain basic elements that must be in place in order to close a deal. If you have these basics down, closing is more like arranging to deliver goods than closing.

Why is that?

Because if you’re laying down the basics correctly, you’re priming your customer for closing.

Here’s a breakdown of what it should look like:

Assess Needs Accurately

First, you need to show an understanding of where they’re at in their world. You do this by restating their problem. 

Why is this step necessary if the client told you their problems?

Restating the problem helps both you and the client to focus.

The person you’re talking to has a million other things going on in their life. But when you articulate the problem you bring the focus back to you. It also helps you focus as well.

Ask Question to Close

All of your conversations with the prospect should set you up for closing. And that includes the questions you ask.

So, it’s not enough to state a problem. Follow it up with a question like, “Do you recognize this as being a problem in your business?”

The prospect’s response may be something along the lines of, “Yeah, Of course.”

You can also ask questions like:

Is there anything you’d like to say about that?

Does this make sense to you?

These are trial close questions. They get the person to start saying yes and agreeing with you. But, that’s not all.

The questions also allow you to see if you’re on track.

Solution or WIIFM (What Is In If For Me)

After all that, it’s time for the solution you have configured for them. But don’t stop there.

Try framing the solution in two parts: feature and benefit.

The feature may include creating metrics and understanding where the numbers come from. But the value or benefit comes from maximizing the areas they’re already good at and coaching them in the weak areas.

Take these basic, but necessary steps and closing is just a matter of delivering the goods. With your trial close questions, they’re already saying yes.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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What’s your selling personality?

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I like to talk about different sales personalities. I don’t believe that one size fits all molds for success.

What you really need to tap into is your individual sales personality.

What’s your selling personality?

You may say that your business’ selling protocol involves XYZ, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

Each member of your sales team has a different sales personality. If you’re not playing to their strengths, you’re not utilizing them properly.

In my book, SalesDogs, I talk more in-depth about the different personalities and strengths you may encounter on your sales team.

Do any of these types sound familiar?

  1. Pit Bull

This is the stereotypical attack dog. These salespeople never take no for an answer and are very aggressive. All they need is a cuff to latch onto and they’ll never let go.

  1. Poodle

This type of dog is charming and loves to be the center of attention. They’re the life of the party and always look good. Poodle salespeople know how to present well and how to get in front of people. 

They’re great networkers and make sales based on that networking skill, not cold calling.

  1. Chihuahua

The chihuahua sales member is a data freak. 

If you google everything and are constantly on YouTube to gather data, you are a chihuahua personality. These people love the bits and bytes about competition. And, they’re the go-to person when you have questions about the ingredients of a product or the tech of a service.

  1. Golden Retriever

On the other hand, if you have someone who loves doing things for people, you have a golden retriever on your hands. They’re out there doing favors and taking clients to lunch. They operate on the Law of Reciprocity… If you give, then you shall receive.

Golden retrievers love the interaction and make great teachers.

  1. Basset Hound

Lastly, you have the basset hound personality. These salespeople have the natural ability to build instant rapport. Clients naturally trust them. This type really gets where you’re coming from.

If you have one on your team or you’re one yourself, you should focus on one-on-one deals. Basset hounds are really good at that.

So, the point of these personality types isn’t to pick the best one. It’s to get you to play to your team’s strengths. 

Find out which personality types are in your kennel and coach them accordingly.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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Being your Authentic Self

I’ve been doing this for a long time. And, in my nearly 30 years of experience, there were many people that modelled me. 

That’s okay if you’re new to the game. But, when it comes down to it, you need to be you.

Have you ever heard that you need to be like somebody else in order to be successful in your life?

You know, I’m a big advocate of modelling certain behaviors in order to learn something new. But, only to a certain extent. When you don’t know anything, modelling is not a bad strategy.

But at the end of the day, the secret to being able to make a lot of money in sales or in business is being your authentic self.

Now, I know that may sound trite to you. However, there’s one thing that I’ve found out after working with thousands of people all over the world.

There’s still a belief out there that, “I’m not good enough,” and “I have to be like somebody else in order to be successful.” This is true particularly when it comes to sales.

On the other side of the argument are the sales managers and business owners that believe that everybody on their team has to be just like them.

And you know, in my experience, that’s just not true.

Think about the famous basketball player Shaquille O’Neal. This guy was a seven-foot 300-pound center in the NBA. And, he was great at it!

But, imagine if all of a sudden he decided he wanted to be a horse jockey.

What’s going to happen?

The poor horse is going to die for one thing. And, he’ll never be competitive.

Being a jockey isn’t playing to his authentic self.

Is that any better or different than you trying to be somebody you’re not?

You need to play to your strengths.

Think about all those diagnostics and review programs that give you your strengths and weaknesses. Once you get the analysis, what does the coaching team normally say?

They tell you what you need to work on your weaknesses. But, I’m telling you right now that is a colossal waste of time.

Why in the world would you try to improve something you’re not designed to do?

The key in business is to play to your strengths based on what you’re good at. Don’t try to fix something that’s not fixable.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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Call a Timeout and Create a List of Goals

In my over 30 years of helping people and being on stage, there’s one thing that holds true. You may very well be your worst enemy. 

Do you ever wonder how to tackle income limitations in your business?

I tell clients all the time that the problem isn’t your marketing strategy or sales team. It isn’t any of the usual suspects at all. 

It may surprise you to learn that the biggest limitation on your income is you.

That’s right. 

The hardest sale you’ll ever have is selling … to you.

Especially on days when your confidence levels are low, and you just don’t feel like getting out of bed. But, if you manufacture a positive mood and attitude, you can turn that around.

So, the next time you’re in a slump here are a couple of ways to give your attitude a positive boost:

#1 – Call a Timeout

Try doing jumping jacks, running around the block, or even standing up where you are. Just do something that allows you to change your physical state. This, in turn, automatically unlocks your mental and emotional state.

Are you or your team feeling a little sluggish? 

Maybe you’re upset that the team is not doing so well?

Take a page out of my son’s football coach’s book – call a timeout.

Bring everyone together. Get the team jumping up and down, chant, or give each other high fives. Change their physical state to impact their mood and attitude.

#2 – Create a List of Goals

There are some days when you wake up and wonder why you’re doing all of this. 

Why go through the pain and the stress? Why not curl up in bed and forget about everything?

If you’re just having one of those days, it’s time to come up with your list. This list includes all the compelling reasons why you want that goal.

Because I …

Want to provide for my family.

Want my parents to be proud of me.

Want to prove to myself that I can accomplish this.

Whatever your reasons, it’s your motivation to get out and work at your goal. So, pull the list out whenever you feel your drive taking a dip. Remind yourself why you get out and do the things you do each day.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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Make it a priority to gather testimonials

As you may know, I have over a dozen information products under my belt. I’ve also shared the stage with Robert Kiyosaki.

That means that I’ve amassed quite a potent track record of impacting individuals and companies. I’ve worked with people in over 75 countries in the last 30 years.

And despite all this time, I always make it a priority to gather testimonials.

But, how do you do it in a way that sounds natural and not pushy?

You may have different ways to get testimonials already. But, here’s how I do it:

First, take the top 10 customers for your business. If you’re new in business and don’t have any customers yet, five people work, too. Make sure that you know them really well.

Next, you’ll take them out for coffee or lunch. It’s up to you. Bring a notebook so you can take some notes.

Thank your customer for meeting you for lunch or coffee. Let them know that you’re trying to get a little feedback to build your business. Also, mention that you just want to ask a few questions.

At this point, if you did what I asked you to do and they’re a favorite customer, they’ll be happy with that.

Start with asking about the backstory. Say something like:

“What was it like before we started doing business with you?”

Listen to your customer and take some notes.

Ask more questions to establish a baseline for the “before” and “after” of doing business with you. Make sure to include questions like:

“What are your numbers like? Give me a ballpark percentage.”

“What was that like before?”

These types of questions generally lead to your client’s story. Write down everything they say and get their feedback.

At the end of it, let them know that you think this is awesome and get their permission to use what they said as a testimonial.

When you receive their permission, let the client know that you’ll write it up and give it to them. From there, they can review it or edit it as they please.

Most clients are happy to do this for you. And, even if you only get half of them to say yes, that’s five more testimonials than you had before.

Sometimes, you get a bonus from these meetings, too!

Often, in telling their stories, the conversation may lead to other business opportunities. Maybe it’s the new products or services that you offer. Or, maybe it’s a referral.

Either way, it’s a great way to enhance your business.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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Take control of your attitude and moods

This may surprise you to know, but even I go through times when I’m not at my highest energy. After all, I’m only human and I experience ups and downs just like everyone else.

The difference is that I do something about it when I feel my energy start to dip. Especially when I’m helping people.

Mood and attitude can have a huge impact on your success. 

Maybe you’ve heard me say this before:

When two people come together in a selling situation, the one with the highest energy generally wins.

Why?

They’re attracted to the energy and confidence level in you. And, they have a level of confidence in you because of the confidence you have in yourself.

Now, we all have bad days. We experience days and situations where our energy isn’t at its highest level. That’s perfectly normal.

But, there are things we can do to elevate our mood levels and change our attitude. The next time you feel your energy dipping, consider these tips:

#1 – Be Careful Who You Hang Around With

You know the phrase “birds of a feather flock together.” The people that you surround yourself with can affect your energy.

If you’re trying to build a business and accomplish all the things you want, you can’t afford to have negative people around you. They bring you down.

I’m not saying that you have to get rid of your friends and family. You can still love them, but love them from a distance.

You have big ideas.

People are naturally skeptical. They may want to shoot you down and then you say, “That’s just the way they are.” Be careful about surrounding yourself with people who bring negative energy into your space.

You need to surround yourself with people who are positive and support you. There’s a difference between healthy, positive feedback and being negative and pessimistic. If you know people who take cheap shots around you, remove those people from your midst.

#2 – Have a Daily Routine

Start each day with a gratitude exercise. Listing what you’re grateful for helps you to begin each day focused in the right direction. 

At the end of the day, write down all your wins. You should have at least 15 of them on there – big or small. Writing down a list of wins helps you anchor those wins inside of you all the time.

Take control of your attitude and moods. Use these tips to boost your positive energy levels.

#blairsinger #salesdogs #TeamCodeofHonor #RichDadAdvisors #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Sales #PersonalDevelopment #Management

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Fear of Rejection

I’ve been doing this for a long time. And if there’s one thing I’ve noticed it’s that the word “sales” tends to freeze people up.

I hear a lot of people say that they don’t like sales. 

They say stuff like, “I don’t like to sell” or “ You know, Blair, I’m not made for sales.”

The main reason why people say all these crazy things is…

That’s right. Fear of rejection.

But in reality, it’s not so much “rejection” that you get in sales. It’s “objection.”

In sales, you may get people who object to certain things. But, your mind turns those objections into rejections.

It’s what the little voice in your head thinks.

The real issue in rejection, objections, and all that stuff has very little to do with the content of what you’re trying to sell. Or what they’re objecting to…

The real issue is what’s going on between your right ear and left ear.

If you can get past those little voices, you can turn those “nos” into “yeses.”

Imagine if you could just turn 20% more. That’s 20% more income without doing any extra work.

But you’re like many businesses, you’re leaving a lot of money sitting right on the table. 

Why?

Your conversions aren’t where they need to be.

Whether you’re going from call to appointment or presentation to close, you’re leaving money behind.

It’s the same thing online.

The only difference with handling objections online is that you have to anticipate what the objection would be. Then you can address it upfront in your marketing copy or your video.

But, the game starts with you.

If you’re afraid that you can’t deliver. Or, you have reservations about overpromising, you have a couple of big problems.

The first involves you going back to your business. Fix whatever it is that bothers you and gives you reservations so it’s not a problem anymore. You need confidence in your business.

More importantly, though, you have to get rid of that little voice, because the objection starts with you. And, you project it onto your customers.

It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Your fear is something of your own making. And, one of the main ways to combat that fear is to address that little voice in your head.

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Build Confidence and Ask Questions

You know that I’m a big advocate for quieting that little voice in your head. It stands in the way of so many things in life.

And, that includes your sales deals.

So, I have two words for you: role play.

You need to role-play. One of the ways to get over it, is through it.

I’ve worked with seasoned veterans. I got them to role-play handling the toughest objections until they have it down cold. 

And, then I watched their conversions go up by 30% to 40%.

Why?

Not because they had snappy answers, because it’s not about the answers. It’s because their confidence level was so high, the person at the other end had a level of confidence in them as well.

Nobody’s going to give you $100,000 if they think you’re a shaky individual. So, you need to build up that confidence with role-playing.

It’s essential that you cover these components in your role-play:

  1. Build Confidence

First, the old rule of thumb is, the person who asks the question is always in control. So, when you hear the objection, the first thing you do is acknowledge it.

“Thank you. I appreciate what you’re saying.”

Do this to create a point of agreement before you handle the objection. 

  • Ask Questions

Next, it’s time for you to ask a question:

“Why do you think it’s too expensive?”

“What are you comparing it to?”

Of course, you can ask any question you want. But, the point is to ask a series of intelligent questions to get to the truth. Many times, the first objection is not the real objection.

It’s a bit like the first volley to get you out of the way or put you off. Practice countering it with your own questions.

  • Bring the Little Voice in Your Head Down and Confidence Up

Lastly, when role-playing, focus on getting past that little voice between your ears. When faced with an objection, you can’t falter. If you do, stop the role-play and start again.

Why isn’t it okay to hesitate? We hesitate in real life, right?

But remember, this drill isn’t about you handling a prospect. It’s about you killing that damaging, debilitating little voice. So, you need to learn to override it.