Sales Tips for Success - The Secret Power of 25!

Here's a question: Are you earning the kind of income you want to need to support the lifestyle you desire?

Each week, as a Sales Executive, I have folks in sales approach me and ask advice about what to do to increase sales. Regardless of location, someone wants to improve their income. The problem is, while many want to improve their income, few want to improve their performance.

But they all want an answer!

So, knowing that a sales executive must be a guru or at least have the inside track - I ask, "Do you know about the secret power of 25?" If I must say so myself, what a great question.

Their response? "No. Never heard of it!"

"Really! Surprised you didn't get that in your initial training. Are you sure you don't know?" Now by this time the curiosity is rising, which is good - cause if you are going to learn something you have to have enough interest to remember - otherwise, you haven't learned.

Now a good friend of mine - Gary O'Sullivan stated, "Prospecting must become a habit and a scheduled part of every day. It is important to add to you prospect based every day, because ever day your prospect list is bing depleted. Every day you want to have more people to talk to than you did the day before."

So - here's the Secret Power of 25. Follow these simple steps with ZERO deviations and I promise you'll increase you selling, your income, and your effectiveness in your sales role.

Step 1: On MONDAY of each week send out (mail) 25 solicitation letters. Yes, that means "snail mail." Hand address the envelopes and include with each letter one of your business cards.

Step 2: On WEDNESDAY do the same thing! No deviations - 25 letters, hand addressed with business cards.

Step 3: On FRIDAY do the same thing! Get it?

Step 1A: On WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY - call (yes, using the phone) the 25 people whom you mailed letters to on Monday. Do not stop until you have made direct contact with those 25 people. Well, gee Chuck what do I say? Hum...what about, "I sent you a letter and I wish to follow up. Did you receive it?" Then proceed to discuss with them why it is in their best interest to visit with you about your product or service.

Step 2A: On Friday/Saturday/Sunday - call the 25 people you mailed letters to on Wednesday. By the way, a great time to call - especially if you're doing individual sales is Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. Why...folks don't expect it so their guard is down and hence they are more open to the call. Plus often they will set the appointment just to get you off the phone. (Now, I didn't say it was pretty, but it is effective).

Step 3A: On Monday and Tuesday - call the 25 folks you mailed letters to on Friday.
Ahh...the Secret!

Follow these steps without fail for one full month. It's almost like a waltz - Mail, Call, Call - Mail, Call, Call - Mail, Call, Call (O.K., now you get the picture).

Why Does It Work?

Two reasons: (1) You are taking positive action. Not only are you getting your name in front of your potential customers, but you have given them your business card/contact information. Even if they are not ready to buy from you today, you have improved your odds of a future sale dramatically due to your action(s); and (2) your actions are the first step to creating a habit and habits (well good ones) yield positive results.

Gary says, "Every day you don't prospect, the next day you must settle for a lesser degree of performance."

I agree! So The Secret Power of 25 is really simple. Adopt a structured system of consistent prospecting and do that for 5 consecutive weeks and you'll be amazed at the results.

My guarantee...for the people under my leadership I have made this offer. Do exactly what I outline for 5 consecutive weeks and if you don't have a measurable increase in your sales I'll pay you a $250 bonus just for your trouble.

Wow, Chuck - so how much have you had to pay out?

ZERO! Yep, not a dime, cause one of two things will happen: (1) you will do the program - make more money - actually a lot more - and you won't want to quit; or (2) you'll find that the discipline is just too demanding and quit. I don't mean the program, I mean quit sales in general cause you aren't committed to your personal success.

Are you willing to access the POWER OF 25?

If you elect to use this - let me know just how much of an improvement you achieve in your sales.

Meanwhile, Happy Sales To You!

C P R for Sales In December

O.K. so it's December, the holidays are upon us, folks have too much to do, and you clients or customers want to wait till the new year to meet with you. Ouch! You last two paychecks have been less than needed. You're kids want something for Christmas that you just found out about - and as the old saying goes...the older the boy the more expensive the toy (that also applies to girls) - and you sure could use a bonus!

I need help fast. What can I do? My sales need help.

The prescription for a slump in sales - C P R!

C = Calls

When sales are down and yet the need remains the same and the customer base is stable - there is only one solution (and probably one that you won't want to hear) - but the solution is MAKE MORE CALLS.

The only way to make sales is to make contact with prospective buyers. Regardless of how you make the calls...it still comes back to make the calls. Across the board, when sales are down there is one primary reason - we didn't make as many calls as are needed. Especially during holiday periods one must make more calls and do more in order to maintain acceptable levels of sales results.

P = Prospecting

Now, I started off talking about calls. Calls are a first step, but the calls need to be to folks who have a reasonable chance of buying in the time frame you need. Your prospecting must be focused. I could make calls to people who may be buyers out in the future - say next spring. Sure enough I would be making calls, but they would be ineffective if I needed the sale now. Therefore, my PROSPECTING needs to be centered around people who "should" buy now.

R = Results

Gary O'Sullivan (quoted in this blog) has said, "Every day you don't prospect, the next day you must settle for a lesser degree of performance." Gary is 100% on target. Making calls to effective prospects will always yield results.

When the patient is dying and CPR is administered there are two things that are always present: (1) intensity and (2) frequency. If we are to survive the holidays with sales in tact we must increase our intensity and frequency with CP=R.

Happy selling to you.

Finding the Heart of Sales Success - A Simple Secret

A great friend of mine, professional speaker and author, Gary O'Sullivan, in his book, "Principle Power For Sales Success," shares a fundamental secret for those who achieve Sales Success consistently. http://www.garyosullivan.com/

Gary writes:

A clearly defined purpose is essential in helping you achieve your
goals. Anything you set out to accomplish in the sales process will
require you to deal with failures, disappointments and setbacks. Being
able to overcome these challenges requires a clearly defined purpose.
It is your "why!"

Whether it is your service to others or the things you are trying to achieve
in your personal life, knowing "why" you are doing it give your the power to
persevere.

Years back, I recall my mentor in sales - David Whitener - visiting at my location. I was the Sales Director and he the VP of Sales. Some of our team members were struggling as we approached the holidays. Sales were lagging and the holidays became the excuse of the day for poor performance.

David, with his commanding presence, calmly addressed our group - speaking as if all was well with the world. He looked at one young man and asked, "What do you suppose the problem is?"

The new sales representative began his litany of excuses. David listened patiently. I, on the other hand, could hardly stay in my seat. Not only had we had declining sales, but here this guy was whinning. I couldn't believe my ears.

David's next questions set the tone for the turn that was to take place and take place quickly. "Why did you come to work for our company?" The answer was one of the pat answers that most people learn from the interviewing skill section of Monster.com or some other "how to get the job you want" skill program on the internet.

But David, not happy with his response, probed further. Asking the question in a different way...and then again, in a way other than that, David finally found this young man's "why." In that meeting David went on to share with the group a story about his most successful sales person - a middle aged female who outsold everyone else on her team and, in fact, the region. The secret to her success? She clearly knew her "Why!"

As you read this take two actions before you retire tonight:

1. 
   
   Answer for yourself, "Why" do you do what you do? Put another way, what is your personal motivation for working? And, in do this simple task, do yourself a favor - don't give yourself some "pat" answer, like you might give me. Be real with yourself and dig deep to find out what your "WHY" is.


2. 
   
   Ask yourself as you review your efforts today, "have I done all I could do to achieve the reasons I work?"

When you tap into the real reason you do what you do - you'll find that you will have renewed energy to push on toward success. We all have a "why" - the difference between those who are highly successful and those who keep struggling seems to be that the Sales Successful know their "why" and tap into their personal power to succeed.

What's your why...drop me a comment. Perhaps those comments might help inspire others.