💛 Learn to Love No
😰 Premature Price Conversations
💰 3T’s of Sales Performance
💛 Learn to Love No
To do something remarkable, rejection is inevitable.
Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he got financing for Disney World. JK Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before Bloomsbury took a chance on Harry Potter. Colonel Sanders pitched his secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken 1,009 times before he got his first “Yes.”
“No” is not a bad word, but that’s not how we’re taught.
Walt Disney, JK Rowling, Colonel Sanders, and anyone else who has done something remarkable has learned to embrace no to achieve their dreams.
If something is worth doing, you’re going to face obstacles. Rejection is part of life. How you respond to it is what matters.
Every no you receive is valuable input: Listen to it, understand the fears and doubts you’re hearing, and learn from the experience.
Every no gets you one step closer to yes!
In our upcoming course on Brand Messaging, I will show you how to embrace customer feedback and rejection to rapidly develop your brand messaging so it sells. Use the promo code Bee25 for 25% off.
😰 Premature Price Conversations
There’s a problem afflicting millions of salespeople every year: Premature Price Conversations. Like the other premature affliction, it leaves both parties feeling underwhelmed, disappointed, and maybe even a little embarrassed. 🙈
It doesn’t have to happen. Premature Price Conversations are preventable. With a little self-awareness and some training any salesperson — or anyone responsible for selling a deal — can kick the affliction.
The first thing to acknowledge is price is not a feature. Unless you’re selling a commodity, price is not the reason why someone buys.
To truly prevent Premature Price Conversations requires brand differentiation.
Customers want to know what makes your products and services unique, and more importantly how you will meet their needs. If you can explain that clearly and concisely they’ll welcome having the price conversation with you. They’ll want to know how to get started. But there’s an order to things: Price comes second.
Avoiding the price conversation is as bad as having it too soon. When a customer asks for the price be direct and specific. Tell them. You don’t have to be shy about it. Your products cost what they cost.
💰 3T’s of Sales Performance
Hiring exceptional salespeople is not enough to drive sales performance.
Sales performance is predicated on three variables:
- Territory
- Timing
- Talent
And their impact on your organization is in that order.
1. Territory: A weak sales rep in a great territory will outperform a superstar in a poor territory. The number one predictor of sales performance is territory demand.
2. Timing: Market conditions will influence sales potential. You cannot control the ups and downs of the economy, but you can ride the waves and time how and where you invest your sales and marketing dollars.
3. Talent: There really is no substitute for great sales talent. Working with weak sales reps is like driving on bald tires. It doesn’t matter how hard you step on the gas, you just can’t get traction. Great sales reps can do so much more than weak or average reps.
Territory is the most important lever to improve the sales performance of your organization. This is the T to start with, and it’s a branding challenge.
A Sticky Brand increases your territory potential by making your business more findable and desirable, and it generates more leads and opportunities for your salespeople.
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