Whenever a customer or prospect turns down your offer - always remember to ask why. This will display self-confidence and will tell you many important things.

Understanding what motivates customers to make certain choices is really important. They’ll respect you for the fact that you’re not taking the easy option and turning on your heel. 

You must then start the process of building the relationship for the next time - the next order. There are 3 audio CDs available on the sales process. Simply follow this link to find out more http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_detail.asp?ProdID=16

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The Associated Learning Systems site is about promoting ways of learning that can be done remotely, privately and with limited funds. I think books fall into this category perfectly. For just a few pounds you can tap into some fantastic bits of wisdom written by some very entertaining people.

One of the best books I’ve read over the last couple of years that has an impact on selling is a book called Influence : Science and Practice written by an American psychologist Robert Cialdini. He supports all the theories he puts down on the page with some well documented experiments.

If you’re involved in selling I strongly recommend it. You can go straight to it on Amazon by following this link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Influence-Practice-Robert-B-Cialdini/dp/0321011473/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227621443&sr=1-5. It gives an insight into how people behave and how you can persuade them of things. How much use could that be ?! For instance he shows that if you ask for a commitment from someone, when you’ve already given them something previously - no strings attached, they will more readily agree. They are naturally seeking to redress the balance, they feel they owe you one. This is known as the law of reciprocity.

Similarly if you advise a customer not to go for the most expensive option (thereby proving your credentials as an honest broker) they are much more likely to take your advice in the future - no questions asked.

Think how these 2 devices could help you in your selling !  Â

Your vocal tone on the phone gives away far more about you than you will ever realise. Of course it is all the other person has to go on. They will build up a mental picture of you by your voice and of course what you say. This extends to all manner of other things. They’ll get an idea about how tall you are, the colour of your hair, what your body shape is like, how old you are, even how attractive you are ! All from your voice !

There will be a newly issued audio CD early next year about the use of Expression, Energy and Emphasis. This has proved challenging to develop as most of the work To Market does on customer service and telesales training on this topic has to be carried out in a very interactive way. It also makes it stick ! Follow the link to http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_list.asp?Section=TELEPHONE%20COMMUNICATION%20SKILLS

Most of you who have been through this section of the course will remember the grey person, the red person plus of course pink & fluffy and the brown man ! So make sure that you are totally focused when you’re on the phone to your customers and prospects on what is going on in your head. If you’re having a bad day, or you are preoccupied with things outside of work, chances are this emotional leakage will be picked up by the stranger at the end of the line.

One of the easiest traps to fall into - particularly if you supply a technical or complicated product or service is to assume that everyone else knows as much about it as you do. Remember that you talk about your products and services all day every day, and so you’re well versed in what they are. However for some of your customers of course, they may only enter the market every few years, and so their knowledge may be patchy.

One of the modules To Market www.tomarket.co.uk covers on training is mixed messages. This is all about understanding that the message you send is not necessarily the same message they receive. There will be an audio CD on this subject released on this among the next batch, likely to be available during Q1 next year 2009. You will be able to find it by following this link http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_list.asp?Section=TELEPHONE%20COMMUNICATION%20SKILLS as it will be among the telephone communication skills section.

So remember to ask questions of the person you are talking to. This will keep them involved in the communication process and will help you get clear on whether they understand what you are saying. Don’t work on the assumption that they will ask if they don’t understand either, as most people don’t do this. It’s a bit like ‘the Emperor’s new clothes.’ People don’t like to look silly. Rather than ask, they will simply lose interest.

Another tip is to describe things in a colourful way, use other everyday examples of simple things which we can all relate to. These mental pictures often stick with people longer than the actual message !Â

A few people have been asking us recently if we have an audio CD available yet on To Market’s customer service module which is titled Pacifics www.tomarket.co.uk The answer is that it will be added early next year in 2009. You will be able to find it in the http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_list.asp?Section=CUSTOMER%20SERVICE%20SKILLS section.

But the whole idea here is to offer tips so what is today’s tip ? Today’s top tip is to consider what is really important to you when you’re a customer and you’re at the cinema, at a restaurant, in Currys or Sainsbury or wherever. And if you’re reading this as the head of a customer service team, set up a short session with your team in an office with a flipchart. Simply put up 2 lists side by side and ask the team to talk about the things they like and dislike about how they’re treated when they’re customers. Chances are you’ll have a lively discussion and people will tell you about how they’ve got on recently with Orange, Virgin mobile, Sky or whoever.

If you simply write up the things these businesses are doing well and badly, you’ll have a great template for the customer service YOU should be offering YOUR customers ! Because of course, the things you like and dislike will be exactly the same things your customers like and dislike. Â

As you know if you make outbound calls as a part of your job role, the people you contact are likely to be receiving many calls each day, all trying to interest them in a range of products or services.

So, your opening has to be well structured, and well delivered. I believe that your opening should consist of 3 things. You start with your name, the name of your company and the reason for the call. This will all take around 8 seconds. This is a good formula as it ensures you know what you’re talking about ! And of course it lets the other person know what the call is about. You will then get more from the other person - if they understand your motive for calling.

These calls you receive occasionally that start with the line “I’m not trying to sell you anything” are the opposite of this. They’re just rubbish because you know they ARE trying to sell you something !

So be professional, honest and upfront, and then the next thing you do is ask them a question. This is a good device as it brings them into the conversation. They will appreciate this. We cover this during our training on the directing the conversation module. We have also now got an audio learning CD that covers this easy to use 2 stage technique, called “How to get to where you want in communication.” Follow the link to http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_detail.asp?ProdID=11Â

The business environment is challenging at the moment. We all know that. Customers are harder to find and total spend in many sectors is down.

One of the current pieces of wisdom is to cut down on all your indirect marketing, advertising etc. Indirect marketing covers anything where you don’t get a dialogue with your customer. Instead switch all your activity to direct forms of contact. So this may mean bringing your field based sales team into the office to hit the phones. Or make sure your office based sales team have enough people to call, and then let them loose. By focusing on telephone activity you will get a feel for what is happening in your market, who is thinking of spending, who isn’t and an update on their current situation.

By understanding more about what is happening in your market, the easier it will be to find potential customers and to plot future trends. Now is the time to be talking to all customers, past, lapsed, competitor accounts and anyone else who may have a need for your services, either now or in the future. Â

How many times do people try and sell to you either on the phone or face to face by dominating the conversation and trying to do all the talking ? It seems to me that sales people are often trained to simply benefit sell. And yes of course benefit statements ARE very useful.

But actually if you’re selling to a human (and of course you always are) it works much better to engage them in a 2 way conversation. If you get them involved, they will open up more readily and you will find out more.

So as a rule of thumb I think good selling is about 50% talking, 50% listening. Stray too far from this ratio at your peril ! Listening is an underrated part of the communication process. It is part of all the 2 day customer service training and telesales and telemarketing training that To Market carries out. There will be an audio CD available soon on the important topic of LISTENING SKILLS, follow this link to see the present range on communication skills topics http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_list.asp?Section=TELEPHONE%20COMMUNICATION%20SKILLS�

Not the most entertaining programme ever made. John Caudwell must wonder what he let himself in for ! And to be successful at selling doesn’t have to be this way !!

  

Danny pictured above who is a car salesman seems the most likely to win if the outcome is based on natural sales ability.  Gavin is consistent - consistently useless that is ! He’s still in the running but only because the others realise he is no threat. Each week he turns up with a supposedly positive mental attitude, but where is the training ? With no training to help him improve his skills he just keeps underperforming week in, week out. Having the right approach and the right attitude is a help, but only of limited benefit if no-one is showing you how to do the job properly and how to read the customers. Have you noticed how Gavin talks, and talks and talks ? Selling is about a balance  : 50% listening and 50% speaking. And remember to structure your sales approach to listen first, talk second. There are 3 audio CDs which cover the structure of the sales call, have a look at this link http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_detail.asp?ProdID=16

I worked with Steve Ponsonby on a transport and distribution customer service course which took place in Nottingham.  

He gives some good advice on trusting your customer, and how one supplier has turned this to their advantage.   “In my local pub, when people order food at the bar, the landlord will say “don’t pay me now, run a tab and pay me at the end of the evening, and you don’t have to leave any debit / credit card details with me.” This serves two purposes.

1) the diner thinks that he is being trusted and can enjoy his meal

2) the landlord thinks that he may be able to persuade them to have a dessert, so increasing the bill !”  

Good and effective customer service is partly about treating the customer with respect as we cover on the green and red list exercise which is featured in the Fundamentals of Communication CD product http://www.associatedlearningsystems.co.uk/product_detail.asp?ProdID=20Â