CLOSING THE DEALMaking the most of your Meet the Buyer appointments

Seamus McAdamsi2 TOTAL MARKETING

#DCCBOP @DCCBOP www.twitter.com/DCCBOP

AREAS TO BE COVERED

What is Selling?

Your Sales Presentation – creating a positive impression with buyers

Closing the Meeting & Following Up

EVENT FORMAT

Pre arranged, private meetings

Meetings last for 15 minutes only,

Move on to your next appointment.

So, Focus, punctuality and precision is

the key!

PURPOSE OF THE DAY

To make Buyers better aware of your work.

To develop new business relationships.

To increase your sales.

WHAT IS SELLING?

Understanding what customers are trying to do

+Helping them to make buying decisions

they consider sensible

THE BUYING PROCESS

Unawareness

Awareness

Interest

Active Interest

Purchase

MEET THE BUYER – WHAT THE BUYERS SAY!

1. Listen to us2. Have your research done3. Know what you want to know4. Practice your questions5. Avoid “war stories”6. Follow up with any contact as

discussed7. Try to be as quick as you can

WHAT’S PREVENTING YOU FROM WINNING SALES WITH CORPORATE / PUBLIC SECTOR?

IT’S ALL ABOUT:

Knowledge Skills Attitude

Is your attitude in good shape?

KNOWLEDGE

What do you need to know? About the buyer (the actual end user as

well as the buyer you meet today) The contracts out there and renewal

dates Who is currently delivering them? How strong is the competition? What changes are taking place?

SKILLS

You need to know how: To research the buyer, the competition and

the market To be able to match suitable products and

services to different markets The buying process works for each buyer

ATTITUDE

You need to be: Positive Determined Self Motivated Able to get along with people Open minded & Flexible Confident Fearless

EFFECTIVE SALES PRESENTATIONS

1. PREPARING FOR THE SALE

1. Who am I going to meet? Get the buyer name and organisation right!

2. What message do I want to deliver?3. What products/services am I selling today?4. Are they relevant to the buyer?5. What Questions do I need answered6. What support material will I need?7. Prices?8. Remember - 20 minute meeting!

PURPOSE OF THE MEETING - AGENDA?

To inform them about my company.

To introduce and gain feedback on products & services.

To find out what/who is involved in the buying process.

To find out what next stage is.

To close the sale?

By the end of the meeting, the buyer needs to know:

Who You Are What You Do Why They Should Use You (benefits) What follow up to expect, if any

2. APPROACH - FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT

Personal Presentation – Well Groomed

Manner – Relaxed, Confident

Be organised – Visuals Aids/Samples/Prices

Be clear and succinct

Set the agenda

Control the meeting with questions

2. APPROACH (CONTD)

Use active listening – listen twice as much as you speak!

3. IDENTIFY CUSTOMER NEEDS

Why?Knowing more about your customer than your competitor, will mean that everything you do will be better directed to meet the customer’s needs and result in a successful sale.

IDENTIFY CUSTOMER NEEDS

How?

Do research on each buyer before the event.

Visit their website to get a good idea of their customer needs.

Read the Buyer Profile.

Prepare questions in advance of meetings.

ASK OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS

During the meeting, probe with open ended questions i.e. ones that don’t require a yes/no answer.

Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

4. THE PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION

Aim to make what you say

Understandable Attractive Credible

MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE

Think about explanations and descriptions - try them out.

Make explanations thorough and precise, providing only appropriate level of detail

Match the level of technicality to individual buyers’ knowledge and experience

Avoid excessive use of jargon

MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE

“People don’t buy products or services, but what they do for them”

Explain the features - Sell the benefit

Benefits must be matched to the individual needs of the customer

Benefits must be clearly described and illustrated to add power to the case

Sell the price (don’t defend the price)

MAKE IT CREDIBLE

By Indicating:

Who you supply, customer reference lists can inspire confidence.

How long you have been in business.

Where you trained/worked before.

Awards you have won/special commissions.

Why you think your product/service is suitable to the buyer

THE PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION - SAMPLES

Use good, clean, presentable samples (no defects, scratches or fingerprints)

Let the customer look at them uninterrupted.

How you hold and present your product will speak volumes to the customer about how you feel about it.

Only move on in the discussion when their attention returns to you.

Remove the sales aid so that it does not distract.

ACTIVE LISTENING

When buyer is answering your questions:

Demonstrate you are interested in what buyers say.

Maintain eye contact, take notes.

“Mirroring!!!”

Think about what your customer is saying and what products/services you offer that are relevant to them.

5. HANDLING OBJECTIONS

Objections occur in every sales meeting

Don’t be surprised, be prepared!

HANDLING OBJECTIONS

Buyers use objections to:

Consider both the positive and negative aspects of the offer

Take a considered view

Get you to talk about specifics (that are not necessarily part of the planned presentation)

Clarify points not fully understood or adequately covered

Assess you and what is being offered

HANDLING OBJECTIONS

Regard them as a sign of interest, an opportunity

List previous objections and anticipate new ones

Prepare clear, succinct and persuasive answers

Don’t let objections deteriorate into arguments

HANDLING OBJECTIONS

Establish the real objection and clearly acknowledge it

Deal with the objection immediately

Answer the objection completely

Check that the customer is satisfied with the answer

Move on

HANDLING OBJECTIONS

Dealing with the Price Objection

Know your product and why it is more or less expensive

Know your competitor’s product and price and why it differs

Focus on quality, performance and “enhanced” benefits of your product

Sell “Value for Money”

6. METHODS FOR CLOSING

Direct request -¨    Shall we go ahead?’ ‘How much would you like?’ ‘When shall we start?’

Command - ‘Lets get this organised;’ ‘let me have written confirmation and I will put matters in hand’

Immediate gain - ‘If you give me the go ahead now, then I can have it up and running by the end of the month’

Fear close - ‘If you are not able to give me the go-ahead today, that

deadline is really going to cause problems’

METHODS FOR CLOSING

Alternatives - ‘Would you like 10 or 20?’ ‘Do you want to schedule this for this month?

Summary - ‘So, you are happy with twenty of these and twenty of those in different colours. When would you like them delivered?

Assumption - ‘Right, we seem to be agreed. Let me get the documentation sorted and we can go on from there’

Always close and always do it confidently and positively

KEEP GOOD RECORDS

Do up a "lead card" which contains: the person's name, title, address, phone

number, e-mail address (all these can come from a business card)

needs/interests budget and timing Use this info for your follow-up

Remember

It takes up to

14 separate contacts

to secure

an order.

FOLLOW UP

DON'T LET YOUR LEADS GET COLD!

Devote MORE time and effort following up your leads as you did for the MTB event.

Generally the first contact should be in writing/email within the first week.

Your letter/email should be an acknowledgement of your meeting and the subjects discussed

Your prompt handling of requests for additional information will show potential clients you value their time and provide quality customer service.

Thank you for Listening

Good Luck!

Seamus McAdamsi2 Total Marketing

#DCCBOP @DCCBOP www.twitter.com/DCCBOP