Want To Get Out Of The Sales Team Rut? Break Out The Swat Team!
I hold seminars on sales and marketing and I've got to tell you that it's the most fun and a great learning experience. My clients and their sales and marketing staff are the most intelligent and knowledgeable people on the planet. They don't simply soak up facts, they come to my seminars armed with facts.
I've got to stay sharp in order to keep them going strong. I got a call from one of my favorite clients. She needed her staff to pump up the volume a bit. Apparently they were smarting from a major loss in the last campaign. The campaign had gone on a little long due to corporate over confidence and they felt a bit beaten up.
If you or your team go through this situation from time to time, it's completely natural. You can't keep a manic pace 100 %of the time. Even the best sales force get hampered by seeing the forest for the trees. There is of course the occasional lazy spring or summer fever that hits sales people right at the beginning of the seasons. Here's what to do. When things get a bit sticky, and the sales chart is looking a bit worn, it's time to play by the numbers. We sales people always win when we beat the averages.
This information comes from the Advertising Research Foundation.
At any given time in your market, 10% are seriously thinking of buying from you or someone like you.
At any given time in your market, 3% are ready to buy from you or someone like you, right now.
Of the people who received brochures and printed information, 59% discarded the material for reasons of incompatibility with their goals and buying objectives.
Of those companies that follow up with information to the prospective customer, 43% deliver the information too late be of any use.
About 60% of all inquiries are made with the intention of buying your product or a similar product from your competitor.
If you think that bit of statistic is compelling, 53% of those inquiring about your product or service will also contact your competitor. I know many business people who can't be bothered with lookers. They consider them a waste of time.
They also found that 25% of the people who have an immediate need will buy from the company that triggered the call with a mailing or ad.
For those procrastinators, remember that 20% of those who inquire and ask for information never get any information. No one even follows up.
This is my number one statistic for sales people to remember. On average, a sale is made after the fifth contact with a prospect. Most sales people have had an average of one contact with a prospect.
As my sales mentors always used to say, “The great deals don't happen until after the first 100 contacts.”
So what do these statistics mean for your team? I recommend that you create a special SWAT team plan for those campaigns that look like they are going on too long or are wearing out your team. Here's an example of Sales Weapons and Tactics.
Compile a list of potential prospects who've used the product or service before or at least a similar service.
Clean the list by sending out an invitation in the mail for a demonstration or sample or free gift.
Have your sales team call the clean list to set appointments or make a one call close.
Set up a follow up system that includes at least five follow ups with each prospect. If the follow-up procedures are done right, they won't think you're hounding them. Each contact will be packed with information and contain a trial close and qualifying questions.
You should be able give each rep a fair amount of leads to keep them busy and give them incentives to follow up and follow through with prospects. Be sure that the prospects are thoroughly qualified. There is no sense in wasting time and resources on prospects who cannot afford or use the product or service.
The SWAT plan can be used as standard sales strategy any time; the key is to make sales interesting and fun.
Dennis Morales Francis is a small business coach and the author of “Double My Revenues In 12 Moths or Less” and "Push Button Profits! A 30 Day Program For Making $120,000 A Year On Auto Pilot" Head over to www.DoubleMyRevenues.com/money.html to get your FREE copy now before it's too late!
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