Sales Call Allergy Treatment Center

How are you at overcoming obstacles?

2009-09-04T18:22:16-07:00

This bear was trapped in a skate board park. The park patrol placed the ladder, stood back and observed how the bear overcame its obstacle!

How creative are you at overcoming your obstacles?

Share with us your story!

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com. Connie will help you develop go over, under and through your obstacles.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

When you happen to prospect someone who is having a terrible day -- train yourself to let it go!

2009-08-23T08:14:26-07:00

If you are prospecting consistently, you are sure to happen upon someone who is negative and not particularly happy that you called. This happened to me last week. The prospect is a key player in her organization. I'm certain she's bright or she wouldn't hold the position.

As a salesperson, you have choices to make when you encounter a "negative" prospect.

Choice #1: Allow their negativity to shake your confidence and create doubt about you, your product or service and its viability in the marketplace and go down the treacherous self-doubt spiral.

Choice #2: Allow their negativity to push your negativity button and react defensively or negatively. Do not recommend this choice. Especially if you go on a mental diatribe of making the prospect wrong. They are not wrong. Do not fall into this trap -- because you will carry this mentally and emotionally with you. The prospect is back to their day and you are anything but a faint memory.

Choice #3: Give the prospect the freedom to react or respond however they choose. Often times they are habitually reacting and are not even conscious. They are trapped in a reactive habitual pattern. You want your freedom -- give the prospect their freedom.

Choice #4: Accept the situation with detachment and do a quick "lessons" learned. If you are conscious, there is always a lesson learned.

Choice #5: Let it go! Let the emotional balloon full of negativity go so you can move on. You can choose not to identify with the negativity.

In my particular situation, it was obvious the prospect was distracted. She also had an accent and in order to communicate with her, I slowed down and spoke with definitive enunciation (maybe too much). I'll never know for sure, next time, I will be more aware of my tone.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Timing is Everything!

2009-08-21T10:21:17-07:00

When you are prospecting, three things must come together: Right person, right time and right message. You may be calling the right person with the right message at the wrong time! Eeek! They may have just got off a very disturbing phone call.

Keep moving, watch when you find yourself going down the self-doubt spiral. Your timing may be off with your particular prospect. You can always circle back.

I am working with a qualified prospect company, talking with the right person, the message is right on, however, the timing is off. The plan is to keep in touch because when the time is right, it will all come together.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Dress for Success

2009-08-18T19:14:35-07:00

Yes, I know it's hot (107 degrees) in Phoenix, Arizona, but what does this convey to your prospects? You only have one chance to make a first impression.

What remedies do you have for this sales guy?

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Are You Connected to Your Strengths?

2009-08-17T21:11:57-07:00

Sometimes when people experience Sales Call Reluctance, we find that they are not connected to their personal strengths. They are disconnected. They are not plugged in. If you are reluctant to prospect, maybe you need to take your own personal inventory and answer the following question: What am I good at? If you don't relate to that question, what about fill in the dot, dot, dot. I am at my best when I . . .

Once you "buy in" to your strengths you will identify with them and create your own personal ideal. We all have limitations, the vital question is: Are you more identified with your strengths or your weaknesses?

I guarantee that you have strengths. Everyone has a gift or talent to contribute or they wouldn't be alive.

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com. Connie can help you identify your strengths!

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Give prospects the freedom to tell "their" truth!

2009-08-14T11:05:38-07:00

Today I had two prospects tell me their truth and even though it wasn't what I necessarily wanted to hear, it was appreciated.

Scenario #1: A salesperson emailed me about a speaking opportunity for an association. When I called the chairperson, he said "I don't want to offend you, but I don't believe that sales training helps salespeople. We are looking for a social media speaker." I was able to refer him to a social media speaker. He told me "his" truth. (I personally don't think that most sales training provides a measurable ROI either!)

Scenario #2: I called the editor of a small local newspaper and asked if she was interested in a short column on life skills. She said "to tell you the truth, we are cutting the city council's column because we don't have enough advertisers." She told me "her" truth.

Do you tell salespeople "your" truth when they prospect you? Remember, what your mom used to say, "it's not what you say, it's how you say it."

Salespeople: Are you open enough to allow prospects the freedom to tell you "their" truth? This can lead to productive conversation and you never know. . . a referral or a sale.

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Your attitude speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you have to say!

2009-08-13T20:37:54-07:00

Dr. Birdwhistle, University of Pennsylvania, claims that when you are on the telephone only 27% of the communication are the words you say. 73% of your communication is your tonality (pitch, volume, tone, pace). Eek!

When is the last time you recorded your prospecting calls? Share with us what you learned!

I highly recommend that salespeople record their prospecting calls and listen to the playback. This is a powerful tool for prospecting improvement. You will automatically self-correct. You will hear the sublties that are screaming through your tonality. You cannot hide your attitude. You cannot fake it. People are tuned in and can "hear" your attitude. Ryan Pitts at www.newcallsolutions.com can set you up with a temporary account to record your calls.

This takes courage. If you choose to record your calls, do not fall into the self-criticism trap. If you are prone to self-criticism, I recommend you do not record your calls. You must be objective. Self-criticism will take you backwards and create a failure image in your mind and eventually you will live up to the image.

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com. Connie can help you help yourself.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Gate Keeper v. Gate Opener

2009-08-12T19:36:28-07:00

When you are calling your decision maker, unless you have their cell phone or private line, you are most likely going to be talking to a GATE OPENER! Yes, #2 rule for profitable prospecting: "perceive" the person answering the phone to be your Gate Opener versus your Gate Keeper.

When you approach the "Gate Keeper" you are already on the defensive!

I am currently cold calling into a very rich targeted environment and it is a blast! Today 12 Gate Openers gave me information that I was able to capitalize on and move forward in my sales process. Only one Gate Opener was initially impatient. I stayed friendly and detached from his impatience. He opened the door to my contact and told me that "I hung in there through his grilling and did pretty well." (His ego was full throttle!) (It's okay. . . we all get our emotional strokes one way or another!)

Be prepared to communicate with your Gate Opener EXACTLY the way you would communicate with your decision maker. Tell them who you are, what you are calling about and give them your value proposition. Tony Parinello, author of Selling to VITO, stresses this point. So many mediocre salespeople attempt to get something "by" the Gate Opener. . . no wonder they flounder.

Try this approach and let us know how it works for you!

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!

Is 'integrity' what's missing in your performance equation?

2009-08-12T18:23:42-07:00

Sometimes in working with talented people who struggle to meet their goals, we find that somewhere in their lives they are out of integrity. Often they are unaware what the lack of integrity is costing them. Our conscience is our guide. Even though we think that we are getting away with something, we can literally sabotage our success.

Check out http://integritydividend.com/. Dr. Tony Simons wrote a book on The Power of Credibility at Work.

A wise coach is someone who will not judge you, lecture you or criticize you. He/she will listen and help you bring yourself into integrity gently and slowly so that you can move into your future with a solid base.

Many years ago my coach asked me about a business partner "when are you two going to stop using each other?" That question was profound and we re-built the relationship from that point.

Call Connie Kadansky, Professional Certified Coach at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com.

Specializing in helping salespeople succeed in all aspects of their lives.

Are you working closest to your next check?

2009-08-12T17:34:48-07:00

Top billers in the executive search industry "work closest to the money." They narrow down and work closest to their ideal prospects. The more I coach salespeople, it is crystal clear what the one's who prospect from a 30,000 foot view have far less success than those who have done their homework on their ideal prospect.

The best way to start this process is take a look at the last few checks you have received and pinpoint the common characteristics. Dig deep. List at least five. What problem did you solve? Why did they write you a check? What are the commonalities?

It is so much easier to call directly into your target market. You don't even have to cold call. Your call is warm because you are calling your ideal prospect.

Share with us: What problem do you solve for your ideal prospect?

For help in any aspect of Sales Call Reluctance and Profitable Prospecting, call Connie at 602-997-1101, email her at connie@exceptionalsales.com. Connie can help you identify your ideal prospect.

Specializing in helping salespeople get their "ask" in gear!