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OBC Marketing Cold Calls

View the person you are cold calling as your next best friend.

That's it! That's the advice that can have you double or triple your cold calling results. We know - you're thinking it's not that easy! With proper preparation, a good script, the proper mindset, and a relationship-building cold calling "system," it can be and it is.

There is a visualization technique we recommend using when going out on a sales call that can easily be used for cold calling: Before you make your cold call, we ask that you actually plant a seed in your mind. We ask you to actually like the person before you even speak to them! Before talking to your "next best friend," convince yourself that you will be absolutely fascinated by them. During your cold call, continually remind yourself of how much you like that person and how interesting he/she is.

We've made some of our best friends and closest business associates from cold calling.
Really think about that for a moment. Those whom you cold call are not monsters; they are people. The only reason you are getting resistance from them is because of the way you cold call.

If you cold call as a way of interrupting them while they are working, of course you are going to get the brush off. Your prospects are simply overwhelmed and inundated by e-mails, phone calls, and meeting their own sales budgets.

If you cold call as a way of selling them something, of course you are going to get resistance. How do you react when someone tries to sell you something and you don't know them from Adam? There's sales pressure, triggers rejection and/or resistance.

Why would you expect any other reaction? The truth is you don't, and that's why your inner world (or mind set) manifests itself in your outer world (ex. cold calling resistance or rejection). If you want to succeed in cold calling and sales you must learn this universal law of attraction.

You must learn how to build relationships over the phone if you want to experience success with cold calling.

We are absolutely convinced that you must learn how to build relationships in order for all of your sales and marketing efforts (cold calling, prospecting, online, flyers, public speaking, etc.) to have success and to give you the results you are looking for, which is to increase sales and build your business!

And at the end of the day if you end up having more "best friends" than what you started out with, that can't be all bad can it?

Masters of The Academy

Ian Kibby, ALLIANCE Business Centers NETWORK Sr. Director - UK

The Academy is pleased to announce that Ian Kibby, who joined the ABCN management team last fall, will be joining The Academy team to share his expertise and in-depth knowledge with our students.

Ian gained his experience beginning with Rentokil PLC, then moved on to drive business for Regus during the dotcom boom. Next he worked at MLS, proving to be a critical part of the company’s incredible growth as they expanded from six to 76 locations in his seven years there.

During his time with MLS, Ian enjoyed a three year appointment to the Board of the UK, witnessing and coming to better understand the day-to-day issues facing OBC operators. A year ago, he established his own specialist consultancy.

While he will very modestly describe himself as a keen apprentice who is still learning, Ian is an expert on team-driven change management, sales processes, and ROI improvement.

You can contact Ian directly at ikibby@abcn.com.

Training that Works

Overcoming Objections on the Business Battlefield

The best way to handle objections is to prevent them from coming up in the first place.
For example, if you've asked enough questions to establish what a prospect really wants, what their price point is, and how important this deal is to them - that makes it tough for them to suddenly insist that the price is too high: it's too late for that; you've already had that discussion.

It's natural for people to feel resistance or fear, especially if whatever you're closing them on is a big step outside their comfort zone. Objections can give you a great opportunity to help them talk it through and get more comfortable with their decision. Always be respectful. Ask questions on a different subject or make a joke to change the mood. And then, get back to educating them - this time from a different angle they may not have thought about before.

There are several typical objections that come up during a close. Here are some tactics for handling them:
• "I can't afford it," or "Your price is too high." Be confident in your service and your product. Ask, "How could we work it out so that you could afford it?" Be creative. One warning here: trying to sell them something they truly cannot afford is unethical and will come back to haunt you every time.
• "I need to think about it," or "Not now, but call me again in the fall." What will be different in the fall? What do they stand to lose by waiting? If there is a compelling reason to buy today, explain it.
• "I need to check with [some other person] to get the go-ahead." The best way to deal with this curve ball is to find out who the decision maker is, right up front, at the beginning of the conversation. Nips this one in the bud!
• "I just can't make up my mind." Create a "what if" scenario for both doing it and not doing it. Or ask the question, "We can go around and around on this all day, but the overall question is: what is it going to take for you to move forward today?"

Timing Is Everything
How do you know when to ask for the order? You feel it. You can read it in their body language. You can sense whether you are getting along well and building up rapport-especially when you're consistently getting "yes" answers.

Feel out whether it's time with questions like, "Are you comfortable with the process so far?" "How are you feeling about this?" "If we can get this for this price, are you excited?" When they are saying yes to those things, it's time to say "Let's put this on paper right now because you have nothing to lose."

Know When to Shut Up
Once a prospect has committed to moving forward - shut up! Get your agreement in writing as quickly as possible. This will eliminate any opportunity for second thoughts, and you'll be rewarding them with the relief of having the process done. No more haggling. No more thinking so hard. No more having to hear you jabber on.

The power of the pen is incredible; however, if you keep talking after the pen comes out, you can still screw it all up.

The Bottom Line
Closing is the most important aspect of selling. You can do it. Go out on a limb and ask for the order. Leave your safety blanket behind and just do it. Get a commitment. Make the sale.

When it works - and it will work - you'll experience the power of getting to "yes." You'll approach every meeting with a clear goal in mind, locked and loaded with answers to potential objections and plenty of the right questions to ask that will keep the process flowing. No more wasted appointments where nothing is accomplished. No more stalemates. Closing will soon become a habit and you will taste the thrill of making great things happen.

For a full discussion on how you can effectively overcome objections, contact us today.

Case Study

Your Favorite Phrases

If you have been in sales for awhile, you have already found certain 'catch phrases' that you use over and over again, and you probably have some that have worked well for you. The following examples are the ones that we have found most valuable in our OBC sales careers.

1) "You are going to love this..."
We like to use this phrase near the beginning of our sales presentation. We have found that most prospects like to be told what they like or don't like. Of course they won't admit it, but the fact is most people will love something, if you tell them they are going to love it. If the prospect is entering the sales presentation with the normal sense of "sales pitch skepticism,” this phrase can be the first step in breaking down that wall.

2) "That makes sense, doesn't it?"
In the fantastic book "The Secrets of Question Based Selling,” Thomas Freese makes very clear the importance of maintaining control of the sales conversation. One of the most powerful methods of keeping that control is to make sure that all of your sentences end with a question mark. We have found that the phrase "That makes sense, doesn't it?" can be added to the end of almost any statement. When it is added, your prospect will say "yes,” or "sure" or some other answer in the affirmative. Since they have just answered a question, it is your turn to talk again! That means you have maintained control of the conversation and can continue to guide the prospect to a buying decision. That makes sense, doesn't it?

3) "I once had a customer who told me..."
Most sales professionals are very familiar with the concept of overcoming objections. We have found that one of the best methods for this is to help your prospect relate to another customer who had the same or a similar objection. You might say, "I once had a customer tell me that the rent was too high, and that he thought he would have trouble getting his boss to approve it." Now that you've stated the objection for your prospect (remember, it is always an advantage when you say it rather than the prospect), you can give the answer. "I just pointed out that the cost is actually lower than if he set up his own office and we take away the day-to-day hassles of managing the space!”

4) "Our company is in the enviable position of being able to pick our clients..."
The idea behind this statement is to put your prospect in the position of SELLING YOU on why you should take them on as a client. When you tell a prospect that your company is in the enviable position of being able to pick our clients, you are essentially telling them that your company is so good; it is a privilege if they are willing to take this prospect on as a client!

5) "I have the easiest job in the universe..."
When you let your prospects know that you "have the easiest job in the universe,” because your product sells itself, you are again pointing out, in a very gentle way, that there really is not another intelligent choice other than to buy.

Focus On...

Did you really hear me?

We all like to be heard, but just how good are we at listening to everyone else? When someone is networking with you do you seriously listen to them or are you thinking about what you want to say when it's your turn to speak?

Listening is an art that requires discipline and a lot of it. If you want someone to promote your business we highly suggest that you are positive and they understand what the difference you offer over your competition. Likewise, they expect the same from you as networking must be a two-way street or your street will close down quickly.

Here is a drill we suggest that you try as we have been in a group of professionals and we have used it and been amazed at the outcome. Pair people off who don't know each other and have them spend 30 minutes together discussing their business. At the end of the 30 minutes separate them and then instruct them that they will switch roles and give professional selling point of two minutes or less on their previous partner.

You will now know who has excellent listening skills and is a great networking partner and who is someone that is all about "What is in it for me?". You can use this tool two different ways: first, as a training message and making others understand the importance of listening or second, to weed out people that aren't filling the desires of your organization or group.

This isn't designed to embarrass anyone but to find out who your real players are. If a person is a real player they will take this drill to heart and learn from it and improve. Then there will some who think it's stupid and leave your group - and that is probably a good decision for all concerned.

If you have great listening skills and enjoy talking with individuals or groups you will bring a load of information to them. You will rapidly become a person sought out by many, which in turn will grow your business. It's a definite winning situation for you.

Insider Tips

My Perception Is Your Reality

Prospects buy products based on the perceived value they will derive from those products. However, what one prospect values is not the same as another. They both may buy the same product, but they can buy it for completely different reasons.
For example, why do people buy cotton swabs? Whatever answer came to your mind is the correct answer, but it is only the correct answer for you. Fashion models may see these products as cosmetic applicators, whereas parents may see them as ear cleaners for their children. A computer technician could see cotton swabs as keyboard cleaners, whereas a car repair shop could see them as touch-up paint applicators.

More importantly, not only do people use cotton swabs differently, but they would also look for different features when choosing among the different brands. For example, the computer technician might consider a strong shaft important so it won't bend when pushing it in between the keyboard keys. A parent, on the other hand, might consider this same feature dangerous when cleaning a baby's ears, and as a result, may choose the swab with the fluffiest tip. The car repair shop and the fashion model however, may not want a fluffy tip which could leave lint in the finished product.

The point is, no two people are the same and no two people will perceive the value of your product the same. Because customers use your products differently, and because they have different self-interests, they place a different value on the same item.

In order to make a sale, you must differentiate yourself from the status quo or the prospect will not act. You must also differentiate yourself from the competition or you will lose the sale to the lowest bidder. No matter what you are selling, if the prospect does not perceive value in your solution, he will not buy it, no matter what the price.

The only way to know what your prospect perceives is of value is to ask them in the fact find stage of the sales process. Your questions should be preplanned and scripted. They should probe areas of potential problems your product can best fix. They should not just inquire about what the customer thinks he wants, they should also create product "must haves" that only you can satisfy.

As business-to-business sales professionals, we must accept the fact that our customers' perceptions of our product's value is the reality in which we operate. We simply cannot use the same sales approach with every prospect and expect to be successful. Bottom line is that if the customer does not see a problem, there is no problem!

For more Insider Tips, visit the Academy site to access the Training Bytes section.