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Ice cubes to ESKIMOS

Entrepreneur, August, 2000 by ROBERT McGARVEY

Have you ever wished you could distill the teachings of the sales masters, so that in those nervous moments just before trying to make a big deal you could pull out a cheat sheet that summed up all the key points you or your sales team had to know? Well, guess what: your wish has been granted. Following, you'll find essential tips and expert advice from seven leading sales trainers: Barry Farber, Marc Diener, Brian Tracy, Tom Hopkins, Jeffrey Gitomer, John Tschohl and Kevin Davis. Normally, clients pay thousands of dollars to pick their brains--but here before you (for free, no less) you'll find the basic sales secrets necessary for success. Our complete guide covers the situations you face every day, from closing deals and getting repeat business to responding to a prospect's no and negotiating great deals. You'll also find an insightful look at the biggest mistakes you must avoid and the tactics and ideas you simply can't live without. So get cracking. Before you know it, your company will be making more sales--and having more fun doing it.

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Gone Fishin'

Make every sale the one that didn't get away.

For more than 20 years, Barry Farber has been selling 17 and teaching others everything he knows about sales. Author of Diamonds in the Rough (Berkley Books), a handbook for maximizing personal achievement, Farber hosts a cable TV show, writes for Entrepreneur ("Sales Success," page 131) and still finds time to keep selling and teaching.

Here, Farber provides five top sales tips. He agreed, but not without a disclaimer: "There's always another place I can improve ... I'm still learning," Farber says.

1. Persist. "Sales are made by the tenacious. You have to in there, even when you're getting rejected," says Farber, who adds that often, multiple sales calls are necessary to sell to a customer. Many give up too early--and therefore miss the chance to make the sale.

2. Qualify. Don't rush into give your pitch without first finding out if there's a chance this person will buy from you. Customers won't buy if they're not qualified (interested in what you're selling). How to deal? "Ask questions," says Farber. "Listen. Learn about the customer and his business."

3. Move On. Congratulations, you made the sale... or maybe you didn't. way, the successful salesperson knows when it's time to move on. You can't afford to waste time gloating over successful sales, nor can you waste time trying to sell prospect who will never buy. Farber's advice: "Learn as quickly as you can how to know when it's time to move on."

4. Differentiate. How are you and your product or service different? What makes you better than your competitors? "Don't try to copy others. 'What will shape your success is how you deliver a personal touch," says Farber, who adds: "Knowing what makes you unique lets you sell that much more effectively."

5. Form relationships. "Build relationships with customers, then turn those relationships into partnerships," says Farber. "Provide enough value so that your customers really appreciate doing business with you. That creates lasting sales success."

Art Of The Deal

Before waging your sales campaign, do your homework.

If you think haggling is the route to sales success, think again. According to Marc Diener, Los Angeles attorney, speaker, columnist for Entrepreneur ("Real Deal," page 132) and author of Deal Power: 6 Poolp ro of Steps to Making Deals of Any Size (Owl Books/Henry Holt), "Too much emphasis is put on haggling. Preparation is the real key to making better deals."

Never fear, even the inexperienced can become savvy dealmakers. Diener offers this advice:

* Know what you want from the deal. "People jump into deals too quickly--before they know what they want," says Diener. "Step back and ask yourself what you're really going after."

* Get help and information. "Deal-making is a team sport," says Diener, who urges entrepreneurs to involve professionals, such as accountants, lawyers and bankers, whenever a deal is important. "Or do self-help research. That's become very easy to do on the Web."

* Check out the other side. "Are you dealing with a crook? An Incompetent? You don't want their problems to become your problems," explains Diener, who insists entrepreneurs perform "due diligence" (meticulous research into the other side) before closing any deal.

* Plan for the downside. "Know what can go wrong," says Diener, and seek to minimize your risks." Ask yourself: If the other side doesn't perform as agreed, what do you lose--and how could you cope? "Using tools such as insurance and performance bonds can be good policy," adds Diener.

* Get it in writing. Don't let the glow of the moment prompt you to close a deal on a handshake alone, stresses Diener. A written agreement "is evidence of what everybody agreed to," says Diener, "and putting it in writing forces us to flesh out our thinking."

Business Services Industry

Ice cubes to ESKIMOS

Entrepreneur, August, 2000 by ROBERT McGARVEY

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