As many readers of this Business Opportunity Blog know, I also work as a consultant and a media sales person for print, digital and electronic media.
This includes having BusinessOpportunity.com as a client. That means I sell on both sides of the aisle daily.  This gives me a unique insight into buying trends for 2015,  and into the insight of the buyers themselves – how they shop and in the end, often times how they buy.  Plus, as time goes on I also get to see in many cases who actually makes money in the opportunity invest in.  Not all who buy an opportunity are successful and it is a fact that almost 70% of folks who buy into an opportunity never make a penny.  It is my job to give you tips so you survive and thrive rather than stall, crash and burn.

At the top of my list is hearing folks go through the sales process without properly qualifying the prospect and then simply to start giving things away.  Heck, most of the time the prospect didn’t even have to ask.  Although they have a great product to sell, free advice, bonuses and other free offers often get blurted from the lips of hungry sales people.  The key is to properly train the sales people on how to properly sell the product without giving away anything for free.

Listen, it is a fact that your customers will not appreciate you, your company or your “free advice” unless they pay for it.  Over the years I’ve given away so many hours on the phone and emails trying my best to help any customer any way I knew how.  The one important lesson learned:  The people I gave free “anything” to were usually the ones who ended up walking all over my time schedules, and developed patters of skipping or missing deadlines and worse – asking for more free stuff or advice!

Here is a quick list of ways to not give up the farm before closing the deal:

1. Make sure you know the client and have a clear-cut reason to have contacted them.  Even if they signed up to have you contact them, don’t skip the research step, because knowledge is power.

2. Convey with your stellar sales pitch or fab presentation that your prospect knows what you can accomplish – or what they can accomplish by working with you. Present proof of your results obtained from clients or even at a previous job.

3. Ask lost of questions and even have a Qualifying Question sheet right in front of you.  This way by asking questions you can find what your prospect needs and possibly make a match with what it is you’re selling.

4. LISTEN to the prospect and let them talk as long as they want and look for ways to find common ground. For example, maybe you both love the Cubs or grew up in the same area. Also, make sure to let them ask as many questions as they wish.  Open a friendly dialogue and get them talking about what their goals are with said project and really peel back the layers of the onion to get to the core of what is needed to make this prospect a happy customer.

5. After you have shown the prospect proof of prior performance, delivered a flawless presentation and have asked questions denoting that you actually care about what it is that they are looking for – Stun them with silence and let them talk and you listen.

The rest will take care of itself.  Ask the right questions, show proof of work and listen a lot more than you talk and you will be the Sales Person of the Month in no time flat!

Carpe Diem My Friends