Episodes
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Welcome to "Data Driven Insights," the podcast that merges tactical sales advice with data-backed strategies to help sales reps and business owners generate more meetings and close more sales at higher prices. Hosted by Marc Wayshak, each episode dissects critical sales techniques and methods supported by real-world data, ensuring you have the tools to elevate your sales game. Tune in to discover how you can leverage data to improve your sales outcomes.
In this episode, host Marc Wayshak dives into five strategic questions designed to get prospects to open up and share their true challenges and needs. Marc emphasizes the importance of effective communication and how asking the right questions can reveal invaluable insights, leading to more successful sales outcomes.
The episode covers:
1. **Quick Opening Play**: Utilize the "opening play" method by sharing the top three challenges your prospects typically face and asking if these issues resonate with them.
2. **Tell Me More About That**: Prompt deeper conversations by asking prospects to elaborate on their statements, helping uncover core issues.
3. **Why Do You Think That Is?**: Get prospects to explore and explain the reasons behind their problems, providing deeper understanding and context.
4. **What Prompts You to Say That?**: Use this question to clarify the motivations behind a prospect's statements or questions, ensuring a focused dialogue.
5. **Why Is That?**: A simple yet powerful question that encourages prospects to delve into their objectives and challenges, allowing you to address their needs more effectively.
Marc's insights reveal that successful selling hinges not just on presenting solutions but on understanding and unpacking the true challenges prospects face. By incorporating these five questions into your sales conversations, you'll be equipped to foster more meaningful interactions and achieve better sales outcomes.
Tune in to master these essential sales techniques and transform your approach to selling by making every conversation count. For further resources, visit closingtraining where you can access additional free training on the five-step formula to closing more deals.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Welcome to Data Driven Insights, the podcast that helps sales reps and business owners elevate their game and close more deals at higher prices. Iâm your host, Marc Wayshak.
In todayâs episode, weâre diving into one of the most crucial aspects of the sales process: how to start a sales conversation with any prospect. It's often said that starting strong leads to ending strong, and this principle is especially true in sales. In this episode, I'll be sharing our unique approach known as the "opening play," which goes beyond the typical elevator pitch.
Weâll explore how to kick off your conversations with key insights about what you help clients achieve, the challenges they face, and prompt engagement to enter a meaningful dialogue. If youâre ready to transform the way you approach your prospects right from the start, stay tuned for actionable insights that can change your selling game. Letâs get started!
KEY POINTSIntroduction and Importance of Starting a Sales Conversation:
- Impact of how you start on ultimate outcome.
- Philosophy taught by one of Marcâs mentors: strong start leads to strong end.
- Goal: Develop a way to start conversations that prompts prospects to open up and make buying decisions.Develop Your Opening Play:
- Explanation of the "opening play" concept.
- Contrast with traditional methods like 30-second commercials or elevator pitches.
- Importance of a structured approach in the first 20 to 30 seconds.
- Problems with typical salespeople getting off-track.
- Need for a tight and concise opening.Start with What You Help Clients Achieve:
- Problems with starting conversations focusing on what you sell.
- Suggested approach: Start with what you help clients achieve.
- Examples:
- Insulation company focusing on a warm house.
- CRM systems focusing on organized leads and increased revenues.Discuss Key Challenges Youâre Seeing:
- The importance of addressing key challenges prospects face.
- Demonstrating insights into common challenges affecting prospects.
- Importance of showing value and insight.
- Conversion of these challenges into engagement.
- Analogy to a doctor's perspective.Close with Engagement Prompt:
- How to end the opening play with a prompt.
- Preferred closing question: "Do any of those issues ring true?"
- Purpose of prompting the prospect to engage.
- Contrast with common pitfalls of traditional closing.Practical Example of Opening Play:
- Sample opening play sequence Marc would use.
- High-level overview focusing on salespeople or small businesses.
- Key elements:
- Clients leverage data to drive revenues.
- Challenges like low-price competitors, generating new business, and difficult sales environment.
- Closing question to prompt engagement.Conclusion:
- Recap of the power of a well-constructed opening play.
- Insight demonstration.
- Prompting prospect engagement. -
Missing episodes?
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
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In this episode of Data Driven Selling by the Sales Insights Lab, host Marc Wayshak dives into the fascinating parallels between martial arts and sales techniques. Drawing from his personal experience in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Marc explores how the principles of martial arts can dramatically enhance your sales game. From treating your prospect as a training partner to replacing force with skill, Marc shares invaluable insights that can transform your approach to closing deals. Learn how to harness the energy of your prospects, think multiple steps ahead, understand likely outcomes, and develop an intentional training process for long-term success. Whether you're a seasoned salesperson or just starting out, these strategies can help propel you to the top of your field. Stay tuned for a dynamic episode that blends the art of martial mastery with the science of selling.
KEY MOMENTS
1. Your prospect is the best training partner
2. Replace force with skill
3. Let their energy lead where you want to go
4. Think many steps ahead
5. Understand the likely outcomes
6. Intentional training leads to long-term success
7. The best athletes often donât become the best martial artistsTOPICS
Using Prospects as Training Partners
- Role of a training partner in martial arts.
- Prospects as the best training partners in sales.
- Importance of learning from each sales interaction.Replacing Force with Skill
- Common beginner's mistake: using force.
- Transition from using force to using skill in martial arts.
- Applying skill over force in sales.
- The discomfort prospects feel when reps use forceful techniques.Letting Energy Lead
- Traditional selling techniques versus guiding energy.
- Embracing objections rather than opposing them.
- Steering the prospectâs energy in the desired direction.Thinking Many Steps Ahead
- Advanced martial artistsâ ability to think multiple steps ahead.
- Parallels in sales: having a process and planning future steps.
- Differences between trained and untrained salespeople.Understanding Likely Outcomes
- Predictability of human behavior in martial arts.
- Predicting prospectsâ responses in sales scenarios.
- Preparing for various potential outcomes.Importance of Intentional Training
- Need for a structured training process in martial arts.
- Importance of having an intentional training process in sales.
- Long-term benefits of consistent and intentional training.Misconception About Natural Talent
- Observations about top martial artists not always being top athletes.
- Comparison to sales: natural charisma versus learned skills.
- Emphasis on focusing on skill development rather than innate traits.Conclusion
- Summarizing the martial arts approach to closing sales.
- Encouragement to focus on skill development and continuous learning. -
Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
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Welcome to Data-Driven Selling, where today our host, Marc Wayshak, dives into the powerful mindsets that distinguish successful and wealthy salespeople from the rest. Marc will share the crucial mental shifts that can elevate your sales game from thinking you're the best to recognizing sales as a strategic game, not a life-or-death struggle.
Discover why seeing your interactions with top-tier prospects as equal footing encounters is essential and how embracing sales as a game can replace stress with enjoyment and effectiveness. Whether itâs adopting the mantra "The best prospects need me,â or understanding that losing a sale is just part of the game, this episode is packed with transformative insights. Moreover, Marc emphasizes the importance of loving what you do, believing in your product, and having a clear sales plan. Tune in to learn how to shift your mindset and dramatically increase your sales effectiveness and enjoy the pursuit of your sales goals with a renewed vigor and strategy.
Here is a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in the podcast episode "Sales Mindset - The Way Successful & Rich Salespeople Think," with sub-topic bullets detailing the main points discussed under each primary topic:
1. Introduction to Sales Mindsets
- Explanation of common traits among successful and rich salespeople.
- Importance of adopting certain mindsets to reach the top of oneâs sales game.2. Critical Sales Mindsets
- I Am the Best
- Believing in oneself as top in their field.
- The necessity of self-belief to achieve top performance.- The Best Prospects Need Me
- Viewing oneself as a solution rather than an annoyance.
- Recognition that certain prospects inherently need what you're offering.- Sales Is Just a Game
- Conceptualizing sales as a game to improve engagement and reduce stress.
- Changing perception of sales from a high-stress environment to a playful competition.- Can Go Toe to Toe with Any CEO
- Confidence in dealing with high-level executives.
- Not being intimidated by the status of the prospect.- If I Lose a Sale, So What?
- Acceptance of losses as part of the sales process.
- Maintaining composure and perspective when a sale falls through.3. Focusing on Process Over Outcomes
- Activity and Process Over Closing
- Emphasis on consistent activity and refined processes.
- Importance of building a robust pipeline and engaging in effective sales practices.- I'll See If You're a Fit
- Evaluating prospects for fit rather than trying to close every possible sale.
- Moving on quickly if a prospect is not a fit.4. Goal Setting and Planning
- Having a Clear Plan to Sales Goals
- Importance of having specific, measurable steps to reach sales targets.
- Breaking down goals into actionable items like number of meetings and deal sizes.5. Passion for Selling
- I Love What I Do and Sell
- The necessity of passion and belief in the product for sales success.
- How enjoyment and belief in the product impact sales performance.6. Conclusion and Additional Resources
- Summarization of key sales mindsets.
- Invitation to access further sales training resources.Each of these topics provides a detailed overview of the various mindsets and strategies that, according to the podcast, are essential for achieving and maintaining success in sales.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
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In this episode of "Data Driven Selling," hosted by Marc Wayshak, we delve into a common challenge faced by sales reps and business owners: the "This is Too Expensive" objection from prospects. Marc provides seven strategic keys to effectively handle this objection, emphasizing a shift in both mindset and tactics. The episode is rich with actionable advice aimed at helping listeners not only overcome the objection but also ensure they are aligning their sales process to showcase the value of their offerings clearly.
"7 Keys to Handling the 'This is Too Expensive' Objection" by Marc Wayshak covers a comprehensive guide to navigating price objections in sales.
Hereâs a breakdown of the primary topics covered, with sub-topic bullets for each:
1. Determine How You Got Here
- Exploration of the sales process to identify potential improvements.
- Understanding that price objections often stem from a perceived lack of value.2. Own Your High Price Upfront
- The strategy of proudly owning and justifying a higher price point.
- Discussion on the negative implications of competing on price in your industry.3. Remember That 20% Must Be DQ'd
- Categorizing prospects into three buckets based on their price sensitivity and value perception.
- Emphasis on immediately disqualifying the bottom 20% who are price-focused.4. Slow It Down
- Tactical approach to pause and slow down the conversation upon encountering the objection.
- The importance of not rushing into defensive or justifying responses.5. Ask What Prompts You to Say That
- Turning the objection back to the prospect to understand their perspective.
- The value of listening and prompting further explanation from the prospect.6. Dig Deeper
- The importance of digging into the objection to truly understand the prospect's concerns.
- How effective questioning can reveal the underlying reasons for the objection.7. Can I Throw Some Ideas at You?
- Strategies for collaboratively exploring potential solutions or alternatives with the prospect.
- Seeking permission to offer ideas, enhancing the receptiveness of the prospect.Conclusion and Additional Resources
- Summary of the key strategies to handle the "This is too expensive" objection.
- Invitation to access additional free training material to improve closing skills without price objection.Each of these topics collectively aims to equip sales professionals with strategic responses and a deeper understanding of handling price objections effectively, turning potential setbacks into opportunities for value demonstration and closing sales.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Welcome back to another educational episode of "Data Driven Insights." I'm your host, Marc Wayshak, and today we're joined by the head coach at the Sales Insights Lab, Coach Tiffany Torres.
In this episode, Marc and Tiffany discuss the significance and benefits of targeting larger deals in sales, challenging common assumptions, and realigning mindsets toward high-stakes opportunities. Marc Wayshak begins by explaining three ways to increase sales: more prospects, higher closing rates, and bigger deals, emphasizing that the latter is often overlooked despite its potential impact on revenue.Coach Tiffany advises sales professionals to focus on the value of the problems they solve for prospects rather than just the cost of their product or service. By doing so, salespeople can effectively communicate the worth of their offering in relation to the prospect's challenge, creating an opportunity to discuss and justify higher budgets.
The conversation shifts to strategies for increasing deal sizes, such as dynamic pricing, offering tiered service packages, and targeting bigger companies with larger budgets. They highlight the importance of understanding the prospect's language and tailoring the value proposition accordingly.
Marc and Tiffany advise on pipeline management, emphasizing the need to cultivate multiple large opportunities so any single deal doesn't become disproportionately crucial, a concept likened to balancing on a beam at different heights. With a full pipeline, salespeople can operate from a position of power, less concerned about individual losses and more focused on the many opportunities ahead.
Finally, they wrap up with a discussion on adopting a "some will, some won't, so what" attitude, recognizing when to move on from a lost prospect, and how small increases in average sales size can lead to significant overall growth.
Listeners are also invited to access a free video training to learn a five-step formula to close more deals, available at closing training.
Key Topics:
1. Introduction to Wholesale Hunting
2. Benefits of Targeting Big Deals
3. Strategies to Increase Sales
4. Approaches to Increase Average Sales Size
5. Pricing Tactics
6. Strategy in Selling Big Deals
7. The Importance of Mindset
8. Pricing Structures and Optionality
9. Benefits of Multiple Options in Offering
10. Working with Larger Companies
11. Importance of a Full Pipeline
12. Analogy of the Beam and Height00:00 Focusing on increasing sales and landing bigger deals.
04:40 Analyzing the decision-making process for high-cost items.
07:29 Bigger sales challenge mindsets, worth and confidence.
11:14 Expanding options leads to successful sales strategy.
14:40 Multiple dates reduce pressure, increase opportunities, comfort.
16:50 Focus on closing good deals, not lost ones.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Welcome back to another educational episode of "Data Driven Insights." I'm your host, Marc Wayshak, and today we're joined by the head coach at the Sales Insights Lab, the insightful Coach Tiffany Torres.Together, we're diving deep into a skill that often flies under the radar yet holds the power to dramatically shift the outcomes of your sales calls: mastering tonality to disarm your prospects.
You'll hear real-world insights into the widespread overcompensation of salespeople's enthusiasm, why this can sabotage your efforts, and the proven strategies for adjusting your tone to one that's engaging and authentic. From Tiffany's eye-opening statistics on call success rates to our touching on the crucial doctor's mindset approach, this episode is packed with actionable advice. Are you ready to learn how to strike the right note with your prospects and revolutionize your sales approach? Listen in as we uncover the secrets to turning your voice into a compelling tool for connection and sales success.
00:00 Different approaches and tonality affect effectiveness.
04:38 The speaker discusses the tone difference between talking to a prospect and a personal connection in an office setting.
09:12 Doctors must balance friendliness with professional boundaries, while sales should be based on delivering value and not just relationships.
12:14 Focus on progress, not perfection in sales. Recognize failure is part of the process.
13:18 Trust in learning process, approach tasks strategically.Key takeaways:
**The Power of Tonality**: Learn how the right tone can triple your effectiveness, transforming 1-in-80 calls to 1-in-20 for setting appointments.
**Value vs Enthusiasm**: Discover why oozing genuine value trumps fake enthusiasm every time, and why prospects prefer insights over excitement.**Practice Makes Perfect**: Embrace the importance of role-play in mastering the art of disarmament through tonalityâminimize stakes, maximize comfort.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Welcome back to another episode of Data Driven Insights. I'm your host, Marc Wayshak, joined by our esteemed head sales coach, Coach Tiffany. Today, we're diving into a fascinating discussion that every salesperson needs to hear: "How to Create Immense Value in Sales Conversations."This episode peels back the layers of traditional selling techniques to show you a revolutionary approach that speaks directly to the buyer's needs. We'll dismiss old-school, pitch-focused methods and move toward a genuine, conversation-driven strategy that empowers prospects to unpack their own value.
Expect to explore the crucial differences between simply agreeing with a client and engaging them in a deeper dialogue that leads to understanding their unique challenges. Coach Tiffany and I will guide you through real-life scenarios, equipping you with the insights to transform your sales conversations from one-sided presentations to collaborative exchanges that lead to better outcomes for everyone involved.
So, if you're ready to enhance your sales process and empower your clients, tune in and let's unlock the secrets of creating immense value together.
00:00 Prioritize initial value in sales interactions.
03:42 Avoid waiting for opportunity, focus on understanding.
09:38 Against strict rules, prefers understanding real costs.
10:25 Roa calculators project a sales dictatorship: guide prospects.
13:26 Creating understanding, building value, and commitment.Here are 3 key takeaways to transform your sales approach:
- **Unpack the Prospect's Perspective**: Step into their shoes. Your role is to guide them through their own challenges, not dictate the journey with your solutions. This builds trust and positions you as a partner rather than just a vendor.
- **Dialogue Over Monologue**: Engage in a conversation, not a pitch. Ask probing questions to understand the pain points deeply. When you let prospects articulate their issues, theyâre more likely to see the value in your tailored solutions.
- **Expertise Through Inquiry**: Admitting that you donât have all the answers might feel counterintuitive, but itâs actually a powerful demonstration of expertise. It shows you're attentive, you care, and you're committed to understanding their unique situation.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Today, we're diving deep into a high-stakes topic that makes many in sales visibly shudderâthe Alpha Prospect. These are the tough, intimidating sorts that can dominate a sale, often leaving even the most seasoned reps feeling like they've stepped into the ring with a heavyweight champion. But fear not! Coach Tiffany and I are here to deconstruct the mythos of the alpha prospect and provide you with the game plan to not only survive but thrive in these daunting encounters.
We'll be revealing why it's essential to stand your ground. We show you that sales, at its core, is a gameâa game where intimidation is purely psychological and can be conquered through a steadfast strategy and an unwavering mind frame.
From reframing our perspective, to sticking to our process, engaging fully in the conversation, and delivering undeniable value, we're unpacking the tactical approaches that will help you engage with alpha prospects on an equal footing, turning potential adversaries into allies in your sales journey.
By the end of our conversation, you'll be equipped with the insights and confidence needed to tackle those high-octane sales meetings. Change the way you perceive these prospects and transform trepidation into excitement. Remember, it's just a game, and we're here to win.
Sales Strategies for High-Value Clients: "Alpha prospects are some of those people that can, like you have nightmares about actually running into a sales scenario with, but in reality they're people just like anybody else. And if you're coming in with a strong strategy, you're going to be fine with them."
â Coach Tiffany [00:00:46 â 00:01:00]Navigating Power Dynamics: "And they, you know, a lot of times people in this space are walking around thinking like you're either a predator or you're prey and you're kind of walking in with that sign that says you're one or the other."
â Coach Tiffany [00:03:16 â 00:03:27]Business Communication Candidness: "Exactly. And they're not taking the meeting to be nice. And you'll know where you stand with them, which is really cool. They'll tell you. They'll be really blunt often and say, I don't see how this makes sense. Or they'll tell you, like, I can kind of see that. And you know exactly where you stand."
â Coach Tiffany [00:04:36 â 00:04:50]Sales Leadership in Negotiations: "What they want to have happen. The issue is that in sales, you have to take that leadership position and own this opportunity for them. So you have to define it by your process and not let them push you into a space where they're deciding and dictating what comes next or how things go."
â Coach Tiffany [00:05:28 â 00:05:43]Sales Approach Wisdom: "sales is about having a conversation. It's not about a performance."
â Coach Tiffany [00:06:48 â 00:06:51]The Art of Conversation: "And that back and forth that happens with somebody when you're just, like, kind of guiding them through questions can be so powerful for them. And that's what usually breaks that wall that they've got built up around what they really think or what's going on in their situation."
â Coach Tiffany [00:07:59 â 00:08:14]Building Better Business Relationships: "Yeah. It takes them from feeling like adversaries to feeling like partners. Right. Like, that's the goal. That's the trajectory you're aiming for."
â Coach Tiffany [00:08:58 â 00:09:04]Understanding Value in Sales: "It's what they're fishing for. It's the thing that's going to open up the door and they're not looking at value as like, what can you tell me about your service?"
â Coach Tiffany [00:10:32 â 00:10:41]Understanding Sales Dynamics: "Every time you show up to a sales experience, you're kind of just, like, exploring the space and being like, oh, so that's the game we're going to be playing today. And then you can really come at them from this, like, informed perspective."
â Coach Tiffany [00:12:33 â 00:12:44]Turning Anxiety into Excitement: "when your heart starts to beat faster and stuff like that, there's no real difference physiologically between excitement and anxiousness. So I would always just say as like, oh, I'm excited."
â Coach Tiffany [00:13:43 â 00:13:55] -
Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
In this podcast episode, Tiffany from Sales Insights Lab and the host discuss evolving cold outreach strategies. They stress the importance of tactical approaches and avoiding generic methods due to advanced email filtering by G Suite and Outlook. They advocate for high-value, purpose-driven outreach and the use of multichannel communication to engage prospects meaningfully. The conversation also covers the necessity of a multi-step, personalized approach to outreach that resonates with prospects' needs. The episode wraps up with a call to action for listeners to access a free video training on effective deal-closing strategies.
The importance of purpose in cold outreach (00:00:00) Tiffany emphasizes the importance of purpose in cold outreach, stating that prospects deserve to know there's a solution to their problems.Changes in cold outreach due to technical filtering (00:00:45) Discussing changes in cold outreach, including filtering emails by G Suite and Outlook, and the decreasing open rates of emails over the years.
Impact of G Suite changes on email volume and spam (00:01:14) Explaining the impact of G Suite changes on email volume and spam, and how it affects the effectiveness of cold outreach.
Multichannel approach in cold outreach (00:05:13) Highlighting the importance of a multichannel approach in cold outreach to demonstrate high value and reach prospects effectively.The offer and its importance in cold outreach (00:12:13) Emphasizing the need for a compelling offer in cold outreach to entice prospects and make them willing to engage in a conversation.
Effective personalization in cold outreach (00:16:21) Discussing the significance of good personalization in cold outreach to demonstrate understanding and relevance to the recipient.
Segmentation in cold outreach (00:17:58) Explaining the importance of segmentation in cold outreach to narrow down the target audience and send more relevant messages.
Cold Outreach Strategies (00:20:14) Discussion on the impact of changes in cold outreach and the importance of narrowing down the target list for better resonance.
Tactical Advice (00:20:58) Promotion of free video training on a five-step formula for closing more deals without price pushback.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Handling "Think It Over" Objections
In this episode of Data-Driven Selling by the Sales Insights Lab, Coach Tiffany and I delve into the challenging world of handling "think it over" objections in sales. We start by acknowledging the potential confrontational nature of addressing objections and emphasize the importance of softening our approach.
The episode kicks off with a listener question from KC Carlyle, who expresses frustration with solid conversations with prospects that end in a "think it over" response. Coach Tiffany and I discuss the need to push prospects for clarity rather than accepting a soft rejection to avoid a hard no.
We explore the different types of objections, including cover, concern, condition, and complacency, and highlight the importance of understanding the underlying reasons behind a prospect's "think it over" response. By slowing down the conversation, acknowledging the objection, and helping the prospect clarify their thoughts and feelings, we aim to move towards a decision rather than leaving them in decision purgatory.
Throughout the episode, we stress the significance of creating a collaborative and supportive environment with prospects, rather than adopting a pushy or desperate sales approach. By focusing on building trust, understanding the prospect's concerns, and addressing objections with a structured process, sales professionals can navigate "think it over" objections effectively and ultimately drive towards a decision.
We conclude by emphasizing the importance of mindset in handling objections, highlighting the need for sales professionals to be willing to let go of a potential sale if it's not the right fit. By approaching objections with a strategic and empathetic mindset, sales professionals can enhance their sales process and increase their chances of closing deals successfully.
Join us in this insightful episode as we provide practical tips and strategies for handling "think it over" objections in sales and empowering sales professionals to navigate objections with confidence and clarity.
"We can't take the soft rejection so that we don't get that hard no." - 00:01:15-00:01:25"The goal isn't at that moment to push the prospect across the finish line. The goal is to push them for the clarity to get them to want to voluntarily cross the finish line." - 00:02:24-00:02:34"Yeah, I mean, really all we want is a decision. Whether it's a yes or a no is OK. We just want to get to a decision." - 00:02:56-00:03:07"So we've got to really like soften it. To me, this is the most important part of handling any objection because like I think you always talk about is like this may be the end of the objection." - 00:13:13-00:13:23"Getting them to clarify sometimes like when people just articulate what they're thinking, that kind of solves their thing." - 00:14:47-00:14:58"You can't get to effective tactical implementation until the mindset's solid." - 00:18:35-00:18:45"You may need a sale, but you don't need this sale." - 00:18:35-00:18:45"You need to be willing to let somebody go. You can't try to hold onto them if that sale is not gonna happen." - 00:18:55-00:19:05"Once you just say like, hey, I'm okay with losing this, there's others out there, then all of a sudden that frees you up to really help them and help yourself to figure out, is this a." - 00:19:07-00:19:18"Thanks for listening. Want more tactical advice on selling? Register for our free video training on the five-step formula to closing more deals without price pushback, think-it-overs." - 00:19:19-00:19:29 -
Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
KEY MOMENTS
1. Stop trying to mimic them.
2. Show that you're at ease.
3. Take a leadership role.
4. Limit your time on pleasantries.
5. Focus on their issues. -
Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
KEY MOMENTS
1. Recognize your number one asset.
2. Find an offering that prospects want.
3. Sell to prospects with money.
4. Leverage automation to maximize your time.
5. Don't quit the day job until you've got proof of concept.
6. Replace the salary on the side.
7. Once you're free, now it's time to scale. -
Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Sales Secret #1: Know your lead gen math.
This sales secret often seems counterintuitive to salespeople. Why? Because few salespeople out there are focused on the math behind their success.
Instead, theyâre focused on what they have to say, or do, to be successful. But knowing the math behind your lead generation efforts is absolutely critical, too.
This is one of those sales secrets that truly separates top performers from the rest of the pack. Assuming your lead generation processes are strong enough (you have a decent prospecting call, and you send out solid emails), knowing the math behind your lead generation is the next imperative for success.
Sales Secret #2: All that matters is what leads to sales.
When it comes to sales secrets that really make a difference, this one creates a tremendously important distinction. The vast majority of salespeople get so distracted throughout the day by tasks that are not sales-related. But in the end, all that matters is what leads to sales.
Every single task you do thatâs not helping you close more sales is ultimately a distraction. You need to become really, really strong at removing all that clutter from your day.
You only have so many hours in the day. Make sure those hours are spent toward generating sales, and nothing else.
Sales Secret #3: âNoâ isnât bad.
There are three potential outcomes in any selling situation: yes, no, or some wishy-washy version of âIâll get back to youâ or âI need to think it over.â Getting a âyesâ is great, of course. And getting a ânoâ is also a good thing. (The only outcome we want to avoid at all costs is the no-manâs-land âthink it overâ answer.)
Thereâs a simple reason why getting a ânoâ is good: You never want to be pushing your prospects to tell you âyesâ because it will ultimately lead to way more âthink it overs.â If a prospect doesnât want to do business with you, then theyâre not going to.
When you make ânoâ a viable option for prospects, they feel so much less pressure in the selling interaction. This is one of the few really powerful sales secrets that only the best salespeople know. Remember, âthink it oversâ are what you actually want to avoid. Getting a ânoâ is fine.
Sales Secret #4: Donât serve. Help people make the right decision.
Donât be a doormat. This shouldnât be one of the best-kept sales secrets out there, but unfortunately it is. Far too many salespeople are just glorified customer service reps who do whatever the prospect asks. Thatâs not your job. Your job is not to serve your prospects.
Your job is to serve your clients, sureâbut your clients are those who are already doing business with you. Anyone who has not done business with you yet is not a client. They are prospects. And so, your goal is simply to help those people make the right decision.
If a prospect is a good fit, they should ultimately be making the right decision (with your help), which is to work with you. If they are not the right fit, move on. That's it. Donât be a doormat.
Sales Secret #5: Great salespeople arenât talkative.
As far as sales secrets go, this might be one of the most surprising to you. Weâve all been bombarded by the myth that effective salespeople are chatty, friendly, super-talkative people. But in reality, the data shows that great salespeople arenât necessarily extroverts. In fact, most great salespeople fall right in the middle of the spectrum between extroverts and introverts.
Great salespeople are great listeners. They're great at engaging people in conversations. They're great at disarming prospects and making them feel comfortable to share what's going on in their world. That's what a great salesperson does. It's not about telling funny jokes. It's simply about being able to effectively engage prospects in the types of conversations that you want to have.
Sales Secret #6: Have a process. Donât make it up.
I saved this for last on my list of top sales secrets, because itâs so important. Very few salespeople have a formalized sales process in place. Let me ask you a question: Do you have a formalized sales process where you know exactly what to do at every single phase of the sale? Do you know every question you're going to ask? Do you know exactly what youâre going to present to your prospects? And if so, is that process working to the degree that you want it to?
The truth is, the vast majority of salespeople donât have a process in place at all. You must commit to having one. Donât make it up. Use a data-driven approach to more effectively engage prospects in conversation, and ultimately present your solution to the challenges they have mentioned.
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KEY MOMENTS
1. Nail the first 17 seconds
2. Your tone...sets the tone
3. They can't hurt you
4. Lead with your best value
5. Get them talking
6. Make the meeting attractive
7. Find that balance between calm and pushy -
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Basics of SalesTip #1: Trial and error isnât a strategy.
Iâll repeat that: Trial and error is not a sales strategy.
If you compare sales as an industry to virtually any other professionâsuch as law, accounting, dentistry, medicine, etc.âit becomes apparent that sales is one of the only professional industries where there isnât a governing body that regulates who gets to do that job, and what training they need to be able to do it.
Tip #2: Have a process.
We need to have a sales process that we can followâa sales process that we know actually works.
When we use the sales process the same way every single time we sell, it makes it possible for us to diagnose exactly what went wrong when things donât go as expected. Without a consistent sales process, itâs impossible to get useful feedback on whatâs working and whatâs not.
Tip #3: Bring insight to the table.
Now, demonstrating insight is the first part of any successful sales process. (At my firm, we teach this as the first component of our Sales Insights Methodology.) You must bring insight to the table up front, at the start of the sales interaction.
You need to engage your prospects with insight, demonstrating that you know what the heck you're talking about. And you can do that by giving them valuable industry information that provokes them or tells them something they hadn't thought of before.
Tip #4: Disqualify prospects.
This may feel counterintuitive if you haven't followed a lot of my content before. Disqualifying prospects is the opposite of what most salespeople are taught to do. Maybe you've been taught to qualify prospects, or that you need to convince or persuade them.
Instead, what you should be doing is determining whether each prospect is a fitâthatâs it. If theyâre not a fit, thatâs cool. Focus on disqualifying people who arenât a fit so you can move on and spend your time and energy on those who are.
Tip #5: Solve, donât present.
The presentation phase of your sales process should demonstrate that you can solve your prospectsâ challenges. When you take them through that disqualification process, youâre going ask them a lot of questions about what's going on in their world, so you can really understand their key challenges. Then, in the presentation phase, you should exclusively present to those challenges that the prospect mentioned. Leave out your features and benefitsâyour prospects donât care. All they care about is whether you can actually solve their problems.
Tip #6: Be N.S.O.
N.S.O stands for Next Step Obsessed. Next steps are one of the most fundamental basics of sales. You want to be completely obsessed with next steps in your sales process.
One of the biggest reasons that sales fall apart is simply that the salesperson isnât scheduling a clear next step.
And of course, the next step can be a sale. That's fine, too. But always have a next step in place, and be obsessive about scheduling next steps.
Tip #7: Use a prospecting blueprint.
The point is that your prospecting blueprint should be a prospecting campaign with a whole bunch of âtouchesâ to the prospect over the course of a few weeks, so that even if they donât respond to you, you get on their radar and demonstrate that you have valuable insight to share.
By the time you ultimately get them on the phone or you send them that fifth email, they remember who you are. Theyâll think, âOh yeah, that person left me a message on Monday. They tried me a couple of times last week. They just sent me a LinkedIn request. Iâll respond now.â
Remember that it can take more than 20 touches like this before the average prospect is going to respond. That's why we need that blueprint in place to keep us on track.
Tip #8: Think like a top performer.
Simply put, top performers have such great success in large part because of how they think. I challenge you to start thinking like a top performer. Top performers think confidently, calling as high up as possible at their prospect organization. They motivate themselves on a daily basis, getting up early and immediately doing their set sales activities. And they view sales as a game, so they arenât afraid of getting noâs and they donât take rejection personally.
Tip #9: Have a sales mentor.
Maybe you already have a sales mentor. If so, thatâs awesome. But if you don't, you absolutely must get a sales mentor. If youâre just trying to figure out this whole sales thing on your own, it's going to be a very long and arduous road ahead. And thereâs a good chance youâll never make it to the end of the journey. Having a sales mentor who can guide you is so important.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Never Fear Rejection in SalesTip #1: They can't physically hurt you.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to fearing rejection in sales is that your prospects canât actually hurt you physically. They canât hit you. They canât attack you. Most of the time, theyâre just a voice on the phone (or words in an email, or a face on a video call). And even if youâre face-to-face with prospects, they arenât going to physically hurt you because they donât like what you have to say.
So why do so many salespeople have such intense fear of making their prospects angry or upset?
While itâs natural to genuinely feel stress around the idea of having someone dislike you, thereâs never any risk of physical harm when selling. Youâre not in a football or rugby game where you can actually get physically hurt if you do something wrong.
In the game of sales, the risk is only that youâll make a prospect a little cranky, and theyâll hang up on you. Maybe theyâll tell you that theyâre annoyed before they do so. But otherwise, the risks are very, very low.
Tip #2: Understand the evolutionary meaning of rejection.
Thousands of years ago, rejection meant death. But now, in todayâs world, the consequences of rejection donât align with our evolutionary fear. In other words, even though being rejected by a stranger no longer puts us in mortal peril, our evolutionary programming hasnât changed to catch up to the realities of modern-day humanity.And so, we live in fear of crossing lines, upsetting others, and saying the wrong thing. Our fear is intense, because itâs rooted in our evolutionary imperative to survive. But sales is not a fight to the death. Weâre no longer in fear for our lives when we make someone feel cranky.
Itâs critical that you understand this evolutionary meaning of rejection, so you can keep your fear of rejection in sales in perspective when you start to worry constantly about ticking off your prospects. No one is going to kill you for trespassing if you make an unsolicited phone call. All they can possibly do is hang up on you and make you feel a little embarrassed. So what?
Tip #3: Know the math on ânoâsâ in sales.To effectively overcome your fear of rejection in sales, itâs key that you actually know the math on the âno'sâ that youâre likely to receive when selling. Letâs say youâre making cold dials to prospects. A strong cold dialer has a ratio of somewhere between 100â150 dials to one closed appointment. Thatâs a lot of unsuccessful dials. Thatâs a lot of ânoâsâ to get to one âyesââand thatâs perfectly normal.
If your fear of rejection in sales is more based around hearing ânoâ after having taken the prospect through your sales process, then you should know the math around those ânoâsâ too. Letâs say that you figure out that you end up closing 25% of all the discovery calls you complete with a prospect. Now you know that when you hear a ânoâ at the end of a discovery call, youâre that much closer to hearing a âyes.â
Tip #4: Know your âwhy.â
Why do you sell? Understanding why youâre a salesperson in the first place is crucial to ending your fear of rejection in sales. You could be working in a million other industries or job categories besides sales. You could be in operations, finance, or customer service, but you're not. Youâre in sales. And sales can be tough sometimes.
Thatâs why understanding your âwhyâ is so important. Chances are that youâre in sales because itâs a path for you to make a lot more money than you could in other jobs.
Tip #5: Celebrate big rejections.
This might seem counter-intuitive. But if youâve been selling for long enough, then you know what itâs like to get a really big rejection in sales: the prospect gets angry, they blow up, they hang up the phone in anger, or they just get really cranky and frustrated with you. Iâm encouraging you to celebrate these scenarios. Thatâs what we do in my own organization. When a prospect gives one of us a big rejection, we chat about it in our Slack group and in our sales meetings.
We donât hide big rejections from each other at my organization; rather, we celebrate them by giving all the details and making light of the situation. Why? Because celebrating big rejections helps to normalize rejection in sales, while reinforcing the idea that getting rejected is all part of the game. Itâs no big deal. In fact, it can be a great source of learning, improvement, and even laughter and good-natured fun among our colleagues. When we celebrate those moments of rejection, we suddenly realize, "You know what, it's not that bad."
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
Biggest Sales Mistakes #1: Hoping for leads.This is one of the most commonâand obviousâmistakes that salespeople make over and over again. At the time of writing this, weâre in a particularly unstable market where thereâs a lot of transition. Much of the business world is in upheaval. During times like these, the huge mistake of hoping for leads is more pronounced than at any other time.
You must have the entire process laid out, from start to finish, in an easily repeatable way. When are you making calls? What does your script look like? What do your emails say? How will you potentially automate your outreach? How ill you use social media? Your prospecting blueprint should answer all of these questions, taking the âhopeâ out of lead generation and replacing it with a real, hard strategy.
Biggest Sales Mistakes #2: Trying to educate your prospect.There are a bunch of sales gurus out there who say salespeople should be educating their prospects. I want to be very clear: I strongly disagree with that.
In fact, trying to educate your prospect is one of the biggest sales mistakes you can make.
The best way to get prospects engaged in that conversation is by demonstrating some quick insight up front to get them thinking, âOh, this person knows what theyâre talking about, so Iâm willing to talk with them and answer some of their questions.â
But we donât want to educate.
When you try to educate your prospect, the conversation becomes all about you and what you know. Thatâs not the point. They are not yet a customer; they are a prospect. You can educate your customers, but you should focus on demonstrating insight with your prospects. No exceptions.
Biggest Sales Mistakes #3: Pitching your offering.
The idea of pitching your offering actually goes back to the year 1887, when National Cash Register (NCR) launched their initial sales training. That first training was all about pitching the NCR cash registerâliterally a manual cash register, which so few of us ever even see anymore.
However, in more recent years, buyers have become incredibly wary of the hardcore pitch. Itâs an automatic red flag for most prospects. And for that reason, pitching is now one of the biggest sales mistakes you can make.
The goal is not to pitch your offering, but instead to demonstrate insight and then engage prospects in a conversation so you can understand what's going on in their worldâand how your offering might actually be able to help them.
Biggest Sales Mistakes #4: Going for the close.Itâs crazy to me that there are still salespeople out there who are exclusively focused on how to close their prospects.
Those early sales mistakes are what cause you to fail to get commitment from prospects at the end of the conversation. Perhaps youâre not taking the time to really understand whatâs going on in their world, or youâre pitching instead of focusing on engaging them in a conversation. Or maybe youâre failing to demonstrate insight that proves you can solve their problems.
Then when it comes time for you to try to close the sale, the prospect might say something like, "Oh, this was great, but I really need to think about it," or "I need to run this by my partner," or "I need to share this with my team before we can move forward."
Those excuses, and others like them, are really just lies. These objections at the end of the sale are merely proxies for what the prospect really thinks, which is: âI donât want to do business with you. I donât find this compelling and I donât want to move forward.â
Old-school closing techniques that focus on getting the prospect to sign the dotted line at the end of the conversation are just putting tons of pressure on the prospectâand that will only further repel them from ever doing business with you.
Biggest Sales Mistakes #5: Blaming the marketplace for lost business.
Blaming the marketplace for lost business is another one of the biggest sales mistakes that salespeople make. I'm hearing this excuse from salespeople a lot right now, at a time when the market is unstable and there are some crazy disruptions going on in the world.
No matter what the circumstances in the marketplace, though, salespeople have one of two choices. They can either continue to blame the marketplace for lost sales, or they can take control over their financial and selling destiny.
The salespeople who are blaming the marketplace right now are the same salespeople who will not be in sales one year from now. You must stop blaming external factors and instead focus on what you can control.
There are salespeople in every single industry who are crushing it right now. Don't give into the sorry excuse of blaming your lost business on whatâs going on in the world. Focus on what you can control.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
I'm going to show you five revealing characteristics of a successful sales pitch.
Number one, there is no traditional sales pitch upfront. This is so key because I see it all the time. Salespeople are stuck in this old school traditional mindset that they need to have this fantastic sales pitch upfront. Now, of course, we want to be tight and concise in what we're saying to prospects, but we're not using the beginning of the conversation to pitch our product or service. We're not using that early part of the sale to focus on what it is that we do and all the ways that we're going to help them. It is a huge turn off to a buyer to immediately feel like you're being pitched hard upfront. Instead, great people save the sales pitch or that presentation for much later in the conversation. What they're using upfront is simply a means to engage prospects in a conversation.
Number two, whiteboard pitch instead. So this builds on the last idea that I just shared with you, which is that most salespeople are focused on selling their products or services, sharing the features and benefits that their product has to offer upfront. Instead, what we want to do is share insight upfront, not about our product or service, but instead, insight about the prospect's world, and that's where a whiteboard pitch comes in. We use whiteboard pitches, which means having something that you can draw on. It could be a whiteboard; it could be on a Zoom. You can write directly on the screen using some stylus or a pen or an iPad, but you want to have some tool where you can map out some of the critical challenges that you see prospects facing in their particular world.
Number three, disqualify before solve. This is a critical distinction that we are not presenting the solution early on in the conversation. Instead we're ultimately going to be giving our whiteboard pitch, engaging them in that conversation and then taking them through a disqualification conversation where we're asking a series of systematic questions that are going to help us determine whether someone is truly a fit, whether they're really dealing with the types of challenges that we solve and understanding how it's affecting their organization or their life.
Number four, case study presentation. So this is the point at which we start to present our solutions and our product or service, but what we want to do is present that through a case study presentation. We want to have a series of stories or examples that demonstrate how our product or service helped other folks that are similar to them, and that's where we want to have an arsenal of case studies or just examples.
Number five, let their questions drive the presentation. This is a massive change in the way most salespeople think. Most salespeople think I want to avoid getting questions during the presentation. Still, the latest data shows that salespeople that are most likely to close a sale are getting the most questions during the presentation. And think about it, it makes sense, right? If a prospect is asking you a lot of questions during the presentation phase of a sale, it means they're engaged; it means that they're interested.
There are the five revealing characteristics of a successful sales pitch, and if you enjoyed this video, then I have an awesome free training on the data-driven approach to help you crush your sales goals. Just click right here to get registered instantly.
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Be sure to register for my free training on, "The 5-Step Formula to Closing More Deals without the Price Pushback, 'Think-It-Overs' or Ghosting"
https://salesinsightslab.com/training/
1. Map out the entire sale.This is so important in the B2B selling space because if you don't know how your entire sales process is going to work, you're going to be winging it, you're going to be all over the place. And the data shows that today's prospects, in the B2B space, are so much savvier than they were just a few years ago. These are people that have multiple degrees often, and they're getting sold to all the time.
2. Attack your entry point.
We want to make sure that we know precisely how we're going to enter into a prospective company. And this is very specific to the B2B space. Because of course, when you're selling to consumers, there are only one or two consumers in a family realistically. But when you're talking about a large enterprise or even a small business, there are often a lot of different key actors that you can go into that company by starting that conversation with or engaging in a conversation.
3. Provide real value.
This is a huge distinction from today's world of selling to even just a few years ago. Nowadays, prospects expect salespeople in the B2B space to provide real value in the selling conversation. It's not enough to have a great product or service. And it's not enough to ask a couple of good questions. We need to be establishing authority and expertise. And the best way to mainly be providing value upfront is by providing prospects with insight. You as a salesperson, with your experience, having seen many different prospective company's in this particular space, have a fantastic bird's eye view of what's going on in the lives of your prospects.
4. Don't try to close.
This may go counter to a lot of what we've heard over the years and our careers, but in the B2B space, prospects are savvy. They've been sold to many, many times. And quite frankly they've probably been sold to many times just this past week. And so if we're using some cheesy, transparent closing technique, they're going to see that from a mile away. And so the high-pressure closing techniques don't work anymore. Particularly in the B2B space.
5. Know their challenges.
This is so important in the B2B space. Again, buyers expect that you understand them. That you know what's going on. And so this is a two-part concept. One is that when we engage prospects in conversations, we need to show that we have some expertise. That we have some insight into what's going on in their world. But we also don't want to over assume that we know everything that's going on in their world. That's silly, of course, you don't know everything that's going on in their world.
6. Know everyone involved.
The latest data shows that the typical B2B, particularly enterprise-level sale, has about seven key decision-makers. And so we can't just expect that even if you're selling to the CEO of a company that that person is going to be able to pull the trigger, make the decision, and move on. It's not that simple anymore. Most even high-level executives are trying to get consensus around the decisions they make. They're trying to build that consensus so that way all the key people are on board, so that way when they move forward, they know that things are going to happen. And it's not just leadership by directive, by force. That's not how business works.
7. Always have clear next steps.
This is so important. That we are not walking away from any selling interaction without an obvious next step. A clear next step is that you get a scheduled call or a scheduled face-to-face meeting or a scheduled Zoom meeting on the books, in the calendar, a calendar invite goes out from you, and they positively reply to that calendar invite. That is a clear next step.
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