Greg Bennett Sales Blog

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought #60

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #60:  Try to Give an Angry Client a Few Options

This is the last RT I'll do on Conflict Resolution.  This step would come after we've matched the client's intensity, given them a "mental enema" to get it all out, and taken copious notes in the process.

Now we're ready to rephrase what we think we've heard to make sure it's accurate and to make a few suggestions.

When the client is done venting (or at least they get most of the vile stuff out), we need to rephrase what we just heard, sounding something like:

    Salesperson:  "So what I'm hearing you say Jackie is that you're frustrated because you purchased our product, took it home and it failed to do XY and Z properly...and this caused you to miss out on AB and C...is that correct?"

By the way...IT'S OKAY TO EMPATHIZE WITH PEOPLE BY SAYING "I'M VERY SORRY YOU'RE HAVING THIS PROBLEM" OR "i'M SORRY THIS HAS UPSET YOU"...(neither one is accepting blame, you're just feeling bad that they're feeling bad).

In some cases it's appropriate to ask, "What would you like us to do?"  (if you can't do what they want, move to the next step).

Then it's time to tell them what you CAN do...and give them at least two options:

    Salesperson:  "Here's what we CAN do...you have two choices...you can either do X...or you can choose Y...which one makes the most sense for you?"

Neither option may be the ultimate solution Jackie wants, but it may be the best (only) options you have so you have to stick to your guns.   At least giving her a choice gives her SOME control of her life.

In conflict resolution you don't always have the power to MAKE someone happy...you're job is at least let them know they've been heard.

GB

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought #59

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #59:  Give The Angry Client a "Mental Enema"

Continuing from the last Rambling Thought about dealing with angry customers..after you've matched their intensity the next step is to give them a "Mental Enema"...basically just let 'em go and don't try to stop them.

Here's what it may sound like:

   Client:  "I'm SO mad at you people..."

    Salesperson:  (matching intensity) "Well you SOUND mad, and I'm sorry you're having a problem...can you tell me what happened please?"

    Client:  (still mad) "Yeah, I bet you're really sorry...anyway, I bought your XYZ 2000, and the damn thing broke after the second use..."

    Salesperson:  (insert mental enema) "Again, I'm sorry you are having a problem...I'm going to write down as much information as I can...please tell me exactly what happened"

Then just let them go...and go...and go...Writing down information as you go (this helps control the pace of the call).

Don't stop to explain WHY something happened...don't stop to address the concern...don't stop to save time...don't STOP...

Once you're done, you'll want to recap what you've heard in bullet point fashion. 

I'll do a bit more on this in the next Rambling Thought!

GB

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought #58

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #58: Match the Intensity

I'm going to write a few rambling thoughts on "Conflict Resolution", something I work with clients on now and again, starting with the initial step -- Match the Client's Intensity.

One of the first mistakes we make when handling client issues is not showing clients that we understand their level of intensity, just how mad they really are. And we try to calm them down right away.

Example:

    Client:    (with raised voice) "I am REALLY mad at you people..."
    Seller:    (with soothing voice) "Now, let's just hold on and talk about this..."

Result?  Client explodes!!

The first step in communicating with an angry client is to show you "get it"...you see how mad they are, and you can do that by matching their intensity.

Match their sense of urgency.  Match their volume (at least at first).  Match their intensity.

Example:

    Client:  (with raised voice)  "I am REALLY mad at you people!!"
    Seller:   (with matching voice)  "You SOUND like your mad...let's talk about it!!"

While this may seem odd to you, the strategy really works to show that we're hearing them loud and clear (a major part of conflict resolution). 

The way to start talking people off the ledge is to get out there on the ledge with them for just a moment.

GB

 

Yo, GB...What's Up With the Radio Ads?

Let me comment on the latest radio ad on my Sales Coaching Service:  (listen to it here if you haven't heard it   GB Radio Ad )

• What do I mean when I say in the ad that "I'm the 2nd most interesting man in the world"?  Well first of all I'm doing a take-off on those goofy Dos Equis ads...secondly, in sales I'm hoping one would say, "Well then if you're second...who's the number one most important person?", to which I would reply, "duh...you!"  Get it?  Oh never mind...

• What about the 10 Point Assessment?  If you're serious about looking for a Sales Coach...and I mean serious, I don't work with couch potato athletes...then I have a short assessment for you to fill out in order to get our process started.  If you want to go ahead with it, just email my office and we'll get you started - Greg@APCEdge.com

• Now...what about this special report "10 Tips for Succeeding in Sales Without Feeling Like a Sleazeball"?    Okay, I admit, the title is out there a bit (even for me)...but what I'm trying to do is communicate that anyone can succeed in sales without having do those ancient, nasty, give-me-the-willies type of high-pressure techniques sellers of old used to use.  There is a way to sell and like yourself in the morning (is that title better?).  If you want that report just email my office and we'll make sure you get it -- Greg@APCedge.com

GB

My Newsletter "Notes From the Ugly Pond" Is About to Launch

Introducing my new free monthly newsletter I'm calling "Notes from the Ugly Pond" -- instead of the normal, written newsletter I'm going to create a short "Talking Power Point" (approx. 10-12 min. each) that will arrive directly in your email box each month.  Then when you have the time you can pop it open and the program does the rest. 

In each "U.P." I'm going to cover random tips and strategies, as well as update you on any new happenings going on in Bennett-Opia...

If you don't know where the term "Ugly Pond" comes from you can click here.

And to sign up to receive the newsletter (starting in one week), please just email my office and we'll make sure you're on the list Greg@apcedge.com(one of my email accounts before the official launch of GregBennettSales.com)

GB

 

 

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #57

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #57:  Put Steps Into Stages

Hopefully by now you've implemented my concept of "Mini-Steps" in the selling process (if not I mention it extensively in my book and in lots of materials here on the blog).  

Mini-Steps are basically a path to closure (meaning towards a YES or a NO), and they help everyone involved get clarity on where an opportunity truly may be in the sales pipeline (the client...the salesperson...the sales manager...top management...ownership).   Some people have 5 steps in their process, others have 10 or 15, and a few have 20 or more -- it doesn't really matter how many, as long as you have them laid out and everyone on the staff is using them consistently.

One of the challenges in using mini-steps (and there are only a few compared to the multitude of positives) is the amount of time it takes to communicate between seller and manager where every opportunity in the pipeline is on a regular basis.

I mean if the seller has to list the steps taken on everything in the pipeline each week, it could take a while.  Plus managers then have to track that progress from several salespeople and come up with an accurate assessment of where each sales person is, as well as the whole team.

So I've come up with a more effective method of doing this, and it's called "Stages"...Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 (again the number of stages really don't matter).  And each Stage contains a number of Mini-Steps.  So Stage 1 could be 5 of the early steps in the process (i.e. Set initial appointment, do Needs Analysis, etc.)...Stage 2 could include 5 more steps in the mid-range of the process (i.e. create proposal, get credit application, etc.)...Stage 3 could include 5 more steps in the late stages (i.e. select final product mix, schedule meeting with training team, etc.)

Steps make it faster and easier to communicate where opportunities may be.  So instead of the seller needing to list every step they've taken, they can just say "ACME is in Stage 2" and everyone knows what that means. 

The key is to be clear on which steps go in which stage.

GB

(Just one of Greg Bennett's "99 Rambling Thoughts on Successful Selling")

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought On Successful Selling #56

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #56: Watch for the Flinch and Don't Let it Freak You Out

I do a lot of training on negotiation skills, and one of my favorite topics is "Flinching"...where the client sees the price or offer and gasps, whistles, feigns amazement, etc...those are all flinches. And   flinches are designed to cause you, the seller, to drop your price, change your offer, alter your program, acquiesce, pull back, etc. 

And as sellers we have to learn how to...

Face the Flinch and not Freak!

When we get the flinch, here are a few suggestions:

• Expect it to happen...it takes a lot of the fun out of it if you're anticipating it coming
• Be surprised by their flinch and call them on it (most don't expect you to even notice it consciously)..."you seem surprised, talk about that"  "interesting reaction...what did you mean by that?"
• Use more silence...don't hop in and start lowering your price, or giving away more services...just let silence work

Beware the flinch!  And when buying something, learn how to flinch yourself.  It's so powerful, you might as well learn how to put it to good use, right?

GB

(Just one of Greg Bennett's "99 Rambling Thoughts on Successful Selling")

Little Video Segment I Put Together on the Grand Dude Brayden

A few weeks back I told you about the swim lessons I had my grandchild Brayden enrolled in...well I took it a step further by creating this video and posting it on YouTube (much to the chagrin of my younger daughters KT and Maddy who were like, "Dad, you think you're all cool because you have videos on youtube)...

I was like...whatever...and they were like... 

Oh never mind...

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought #55

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #55:  First Steps in Quick Change

I've been focusing quite a bit on how the state of our economy, our entire world, is forcing many people to face making pretty dramatic changes in their lives...and having to do it quickly.

Sudden layoffs and business closings.  Sweeping changes in government mandates.  Radical ups and downs in the market. World hotspots suddenly flaring up.  And a 24/7 news culture that seems to put it all into hyper-drive.

All of us are going to be facing more and more change in coming years.  Whether you're someone who likes change , or someone that dreads it - we might as well figure out how to do effectively.

Some of the first steps in quick change are:

• Don't dwell or lament on the fact that the change had to happen.  Yes it may be a shame that things are different now....and yes it's true it used to be nice when you could count on certain things being what they were, or when things were done the old way.  It doesn't matter now.  Every second wasted on being upset about the reality of change happening is one that could be used in a more productive way.
• Don't freak about the future.  Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  Who knows how these changes will work out?  Who knows whether there will be more changes?  All you have is this moment.  Stay in this exact moment.  Not dwelling on yesterday or fearing tomorrow.
• Try to figure out exactly what you're going to have to change into.  How are you now going to  have to act?  What are you now going to have to be good at?  Who are you now going to have to get to know and like?   What are now going to have to do each day that may be different than what you did yesterday.  Just get an understanding of the new realities.
• Put all your attention and passion into one moment at a time and don't look up from it.  Figure out what you now need to do...and just do it.  Then do it again, and again.  Each moment focusing only on this moment.

More on making change coming up.

GB

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought #54

Greg Bennett's Rambling Thought on Successful Selling #54:  The New Mantra...Change NOW, or Die

The new realities moving forward in this crazy economy (and world) of ours will be --  change is going to happen to all of us, and it has to happen immediately.  And if you're not going to change, you're going to die.

Change jobs.  Change careers (what IS a career anymore anyway?).  Change in responsibilities.  Change in work load.  Change in expectations.  Change in titles.  Change in cities.  Change in governments.  Change in entire economies.

And if you're not comfortable with change...THAT better change too!

Because in the new world moving forward it's either change...or die. 

We have to learn how to do it.  Maybe even learn how to love it (though that will be a HUGE stretch for many people).  

There is just no alternative friends.

I'm making some radical changes myself over the next 30 days...watch for more in the next few Rambling Thoughts!

GB

(Just one of Greg Bennett's "99 Rambling Thoughts on Successful Selling")