Edward R. del Gaizo, Seleste E. Lunsford
Sales pros often focus too much on operational details and forget that the secret to selling is developing strong customer relationships. Secrets of Top-Performing Salespeople reiterates that the customer is key and provides customer-based lessons and techniques based on up-todate studies and examples from hundreds of exceptional salespeople.
This dynamic book reveals how average salespeople become exceptional by being responsive to and focused on the customer, both behaviorally and organizationally.
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Excerpt from "Secrets of Top Performing Sales People":
GET PAST GATEKEEPERS
A frequent challenge in a prospecting call is getting past a gatekeeper or screener. It is that person’s job to handle incoming communications in order to protect the time of the decision maker. Remember, the gatekeeper is an extension of the person you are trying to talk to. If you treat her like an obstacle, you risk creating an insurmountable hurdle to establishing a relationship with the prospect. Often, gatekeepers are valuable sources of information and, when treated professionally, with politeness and respect, they can become allies to your cause. They should be provided with enough information to conclude that it would be a good use of the decision maker’s time to speak with you.
More Tips
Debrief after the call. The best way to get better at your prospecting skills is to take the time to debrief after the call. What did you do well? What do you need to do better? What kinds of information do you need to be more familiar with? Are there some sources of prospects that seem to be more productive than others? Is there anything you learned from this call that will be helpful when you call on another organization in the same industry?
Ask for permission to call back. At any time during the prospecting call you may be able to detect that the prospect is losing interest. At this point, it may be a good idea to request permission to call back at a specific time. That way you can be more prepared with relevant information and she’ll be expecting your call.
Ask for a referral. It always makes sense to ask for a referral, even if you decide that she’s not interested in pursuing additional information. The prospect may be aware of someone else in the organization or business or personal network that may be a better fit. If you’ve handled the call professionally, there is a good chance that she may be willing to share that information with you.
Call early or late. If you are having trouble getting through to someone, try calling early before business hours (or late after normal business hours.) You’ll be more likely to get a chance to speak to the decision maker.
Share best practices. Talk to your sales manager and peers on a regular basis to see what messages and letters they have used that generate the greatest response. Don’t reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to.
Keep good records. Make sure you keep a record of your call results. As you receive leads and uncover prospects from other sources, you’ll want to know if you have called that organization previously. Also, prospecting can consist of several steps involving introductory and follow-up calls, letters, faxes, and e-mails. By keeping track of what you’ve sent and when, you can manage your timing, build interest, and reinforce messages rather than just sending duplicate information.