Monthly Archives: July 2019

How many times do you call a prospect?

Posted on by

I read the following about sales people:

44% of sales people give up after one “call”, 22% give up after two “call's”, 14% give up after three “call's”, 12% give up after four “call's” — 92% give up after four “call's”!

Only 8% of sales people go in and ask for an order a fifth time, or more.

After 35+ years of selling, and owning my own business I can attest to these numbers from both sides as sales person and company owner/purchaser. 

As sales person I knew that there were customers needing my product. However, I quickly found that timing was crucial. After a year or so of walking out too soon, and not going back, I learned that timing was everything. 

Maybe the customer wasn't thinking of buying my products that day, maybe the budget wasn't set, maybe, maybe, maybe. I had to keep talking with them until I received an ultimate “NO NEED EVER – GET OUT AND STAY OUT!”, — or — an Order!

As owner of my own business for more than 15 years, I had countless sales people call only once and never come back. I believe from experience that the above statistic of quitting after the first call is not correct, the number is much higher than 44%. 

let's go with the above. If only 8% of sales people call more than 5 times on a prospect — it is no wonder why these 8% get 80% of the business.

If you are certain a customer needs your product — You need to be hovering and creating some form of non-confrontational awareness to that customer. I have had people wanting me to contact once per week, once per month, others, once per quarter, Etc. Always try and find an approach that keeps you in the “Awareness” zone.  Not pestering, no whining, not in the way. 

Learn this and your sales will soar. 

Make 2019 your best year yet!

A sales tracking system completed daily = Sales Success!

Posted on by

Do you have a sales process and daily system for generating business? 

I do!  I have developed and used a sales process involving daily point accumulation.  Diligently follow a selling process and create sales.

Daily point accumulation allows for measurement and tracking of the sales process.  Daily work on this process coupled with good sales training creates a dynamite selling opportunity — almost guaranteed (Some sales people just don’t get it!).

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Is your sales team on track?

Posted on by

How was performance for the first half of the year? 

Now that we are in 2nd half what does the remainder of the year look like?

Is your sales team on track?

Are your sales people resting on their laurels?  Are they selling more products to current customers rather than going out to do the harder work of landing new customers?

Your sales force may not need an overhaul, but if the idea of having a well-developed sales pipeline seems like a pipe dream, it’s time to fix the situation.

All too often companies think that the key is to just hire more sales people.

 Focus on how customers prefer to buy.  Knowing customer preference can ultimately help you see how many salespeople you need and how best to use them.

I developed a point system with minimum monthly requirements of face-to-face visits, meaningful telephone conversations and other customer contacts (ie: Email, Mail, Corporate social media contact, Etc.)

The point system eventually lead to allowing us to understand that within our industry we could develop a sales person to be at $3million run rate in 24 – 36 months.

We could then predict sales and company growth.

Do you have a tracking system to determine if sales are on track?

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Want more information?  Contact me —

Great vacation complete, really good 4th of July! Do you have a sales tracking system?

Posted on by

What's your number?  If you don't have a sales cookbook how do you measure your daily progress toward your goals?

I have used a cookbook for many, many years.  I first started in direct business to business selling in the early 1980's.  I was confounded by the lack of information available on selling that would ensure follow through and success.

I learned early on that not tracking daily behavior was going to lead to not having daily direction and not really knowing what to do next.  I set up a hand written notebook system of all potential and actual customers.  I tracked who I called daily and set up a follow-up date depending on the wishes of the customer.  Some people wanted weekly contact, some wanted monthly and some wanted longer periods.  There were even some who were not interested nor in need of my products — They told me to never contact them again.

For my career and the careers of sales people who have worked with and for me I developed a daily behavior system and a simple point system for tracking success. 

I allow all sales people to modify the system for their own sales style.  However, many good sales people have adopted my system and figured out exactly how to do daily behaviors and make exactly the income they desire.  

The system for selling aerospace products usually with order size of $1,000 – $75,000 consisted of seeing face-to-face (Belly selling) 200 prospects per year.  Making 2,400 meaningful telephone contacts and making 1,200 other contacts – Email, Txt, Fax, Brochure, Etc..  If Sales people did these behaviors daily and accumulated 6,000 points per year they were virtually assured of selling $3,000,000 worth of product for the company and ensuring an exact income base + Commission.

Of course this is overly simplified but, the sales people wanting to earn more could calculate their points needed per day, per month and ensure a better income for the year.  

What's your number?

Comments?

Make year 2019 your best year yet!