could be wasted, since nobody would have time to see him. “I leave a note or flier for dentists two weeks before my next visit, saying I’d like to talk about a new product next time I call. Then they can plan to see me without disrupting their schedules. I ask a support person to remind the dentist about my note. If they are interested, they’ll make time.”
“Know the peak business hours of your clients when customers are there,” says Collins. “Then, visit them during their slow times.” Most busi- nesses’ slow times are early mornings: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. is generally best for retail stores; 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (between lunch and dinner) is gener- ally best for restaurants. Another way to make more time for face-to-face selling is networking to get referrals. A referral from someone a prospect knows will often get you an appointment, so you save the time you would ordinarily waste trying to get past the gatekeeper. Common courtesy is important. Whenever Simon is running late, he calls his clients to either allow the flex- ibility to reschedule or to make sure the dentist will be available when he arrives. Simon offers these three tips to help you find more time for face-to- face selling:
SELLING TIP Call Objective: Flexibility
The sales professional can’t approach a prospect without having a flexible game plan. Although outlining and plan- ning are necessary, the benefit of a flexible plan – instead of a stringent one – is that flexibility allows you to meet your prospect’s stated objectives. Many a salesperson fails to close on a call because his mental objective was simply to get in the door, but the customer was ready to buy right then and there. When setting sales call objectives, ask yourself these questions: • Does my sales plan fit the prospect’s stated objectives? • Have I left room for changes in my presentation should the prospect express different needs than the ones I already know? • Have I prepared questions that will allow the prospect to tell me all his objectives? • Have I prepared a number of different closes to use during the sales call in case the prospect is ready to buy today? By being flexible enough to respond to new information or customer needs when they are identified, the sales- person can adjust the sales plan accordingly and may find a sale where before there was only a call objective. – SELLING POWER EDITORS
SELLING POWER JANUARY 2017 | 7 © 2017 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
Prioritize customers by how likely they are to purchase your products or services. Arrange your schedule around those most likely to buy from you.
When possible, schedule appoint- ments in advance so your clients will set aside time for you. Use CRM, such as Salesforce or
Microsoft Dynamics, to schedule ap- pointments and keep track of impor- tant client information. Collins adds these three suggestions: Reserve paperwork for early morn-
ings, evenings, and bad weather – slow times for face-to-face sales. Focus on a single geographic area each day. This means shorter driving times between visits and a better chance to see more prospects. Learn the peak business periods for clients, and plan visits for other times. Plan your time well and you’ll discover more time for face-to-face sales than you had thought possible.
THE SALES TRAINING BOOK HOW STU HEINECKE GETS A MEETING WITH ANYONE
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