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DISC – Influencer Style
I use DISC as a core competence for sales professionals. Last week I focused on the Dominant style. this week I'm focusing on the Influencer style.
Influencers are also fast paced, and are expressive, outgoing and engaging. They motivate and encourage others to accomplish and produce results. As performers, they may produce up and down results, as they tend to shoot from the hip rather than follow a process. They have a unique and individual presentation and may have a ‘signature look’. Expec…
Costly Conspirators
Our first foray into Imperfections this month was to consider them as Charming Idiosyncrasies, which they surely can be.
Another point of view is that imperfections are not so charming or amusing. And those imperfections that impact our own efforts and those of others are particularly troublesome. We may look away from these and hope that others don’t notice, but they do notice.
Imperfections that impact others, like chronic tardiness or inability to complete a task on time, begin to w…
Charming Idiosyncrasies
Some of our imperfections can truly be cute…even bordering on adorable.
My brother, never a math wizard, when called out on his inaccurate calculation is known to say, “Oh, I was figuring it another way.” Damn near adorable.
As it is with all of us. Our frailties endear us to others because they expose our humanity and reveal our connection to others by our lack of perfection. We all have qualities that might madden us and amuse others. And yet, here we are.
Now, go reveal something…
Asking for Referrals
I must admit, as a salesperson this is one of my weaker areas. I GET a lot of referral business but it’s not because I ask for it. I can only imagine what would happen if I intentionally asked a happy client to refer me to someone they know who might use my assistance. So, don’t follow my lead on this.
However, I do work with people who are good at this and are generous to share what they do that works, which is what I will share with you.
ALWAYS give two business cards and say: “Here is…
Thank you notes
Call me old fashioned…no, don’t. Call me gracious and grateful…yes, do.
I have personalized thank you notes (gracias, www.crane.com) that I love to send… and I LOVE to receive thank you notes. And by thank you notes, I mean a handwritten note and envelope. Yes, that kind of thank you note.
A young woman at a seminar recently told me that she doesn’t think thank you notes are genuine…and when I asked her to explain, she said she never received a handwritten one, but rather a thank you email w…
Guardrails #1
In the very simplest of terms, as a sales professional, our job is to make it easy for our customers/clients to say yes… and to buy from us.
To do that, we need to truly be responsible for the entire sales interaction and how it goes, and where it ends up.
Guardrails help that.
By guardrails, I mean guiding the conversation so that it doesn’t veer off course and stays in the lane for the intended outcome. Guardrails include asking questions that will direct the discussion and get the answer…
GRATEFUL QUESTIONING
How can we bring gratitude to questioning? When do we need it the most?
Let’s look at where questions start. Are they coming from a place of interest and helpfulness?
Are the questions originating from compassion and a desire to understand?
Are the questions courageous (tough to ask but we know we must) and considerate (asked in a
way that is respectful and kind)?
When a sales interaction is successful (in that it produced a sale or an appointment), take a moment to present and to be gratef…
GRATEFUL GREETING
This is where gratitude matters most…when we welcome clients, customers, and prospects into the showroom and collectively and individually create an environment that is warm and inviting.
Our thinking and conversations internally impact the experience that we create for our ‘guests’ and when we understand the impact that we have, we can be responsible for it and be
intentional with it.
What do you do to prepare yourself to be welcoming and grateful to incoming guests?
What do you do to rem…
Practice – the rewards
I need to bring the topic back around to selling.
Ah, the practice of selling. It is a practice. There are so many elements: the practice of setting goals, the practice of connecting with strangers, the practice of asking discovery questions, the practice of presenting solutions to customer priorities, the practice of handling objections, the practice of asking for a commitment, the practice of being silent and still, the practice of follow up and outreach, the practice of organizing your bus…
Handling Objections…what is enough?
Let’s extend developing our questioning skills to include handling objections.
As we evaluate our relationship to objections, it’s important to look at the reaction to objections and the response to the objection. They are separate yet related actions.
Ask yourself: Do I really know what they are concerned about…or am I assuming I know? Do I accept their concern as valid – and maybe even agree with them? Do I understand their concern, and do I have a response to address it and move beyond i…
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