80 / 20

 

Why is it that 80% of the sales and revenue in any company or industry is made by the Top 20% of the producers? And, more importantly, what you begin doing today to move into that elite group?

Here are 5 key concepts and techniques you can begin using today to take your sales to the next level:

1) Be Prepared with Scripts: Isn’t it true that 90% of the time you get the same brush offs, put offs, and objections when you’re dealing with prospects and clients? 80% of your competition is still ad-libbing their way through their presentations and they sound like it. The Top 20%, though, are completely prepared with proven scripts, rebuttals, and techniques that get them past gatekeepers, past smokescreen objections and to the sale. 

2) Stop Qualifying leads and start Disqualifying Them
 

So many sales reps and companies still believe in the Sales Pipeline idea. “If we put enough leads into it, some will turn into deals.” That attitude leads to a closing rate of about one in ten – and drains your energy and confidence. The Top 20% use a sales cylinder instead and understand that “You can’t close an unqualified lead.” 
 

The next time your prospect tells you to “Send some information” ask them,

“Sure, and if you like what you see, when will you place an order?”

3) Use Assumptive Questions:

80% of your competition actually create smokescreen objections by asking closed ended questions during the first call. Instead of asking, “Are you the decision maker on this?” you should use the Top 20% technique of:

“Besides yourself, who else is involved in making the decision on this?” This eliminates the “Well, I’ve got to show this to…” objection that will come later because you’ll know in advance who’s involved in the decision process.

4) Isolate Objections, Don’t Answer Them: The Top 20% wouldn’t think of wasting their time chasing after smokescreens and so question and isolate objections instead. The next time someone objects to your price, say:
“I understand __, and let me ask you: if the price on (your product) was right where you wanted to spend (or within your budget), but if price weren’t an issue on this, do you feel this is the solution you’d go with – would you go ahead and place an order with me today?” Any answer other than yes and this isn’t the objection!

5) Practice Perfection: Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent! Only practice of perfection makes perfect. That’s why the Top 20% invest in, learn and use the most effective sales techniques.