21 Secrets of Million-Dollar Sellers by Stephen J. Harvill

Author:Stephen J. Harvill
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Touchstone

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GET READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP

No top sales pro goes into a face-to-face meeting without planning for it ahead of time. I collected these tips during my interviews:

Who is this person? How much do you know about the individual you’re meeting with? Go through the drill: Google. Facebook. LinkedIn. The more you know about “Jada” or “Jeremy,” the better equipped you’ll be to have a productive conversation—which, by the way, is certainly sure to happen when two folks hang out in person. If your client’s profile includes photos of fighter jets, it might be that he has a military background. If you see that she volunteers for the ASPCA, and you happen to have just adopted a rescue puppy, have a snapshot of your dog at the ready, just in case.

Who does he or she work for? Your client likely represents a larger organization, so knowledge about that organization comes in handy. How is the company doing? Are its financials solid, or are profits only a distant memory? Is the organization known for making purchase decisions quickly? How is the company perceived in the market? Is it a traditional firm or a place you’d read about in Wired? By the way, it’s good to know all of this about your company, too.

How much time does your client have? Time is a really big deal. Value your clients’ tight schedule, and they will value you. Let them know in advance how long the meeting will last, and then stick to it. If the client wants more time, he or she can choose to extend the meeting.

What is the plot? A “plot” is different from a “plan.” A plan is a detailed proposal for achieving something, like closing a sale. A plot is the reason for your out-of-the-office meeting. There needs to be one, even if you’re just casually dropping in for a moment to ask about a client’s car. Keep in mind that this is sales time, and if you don’t have a legitimate reason for seeing someone face-to-face, or can’t gin one up, you’ve just wasted your own time. I’m going to stop by and say hi to Jeremy is not a plot. I’m going to stop by, drop off a coupon for a free carwash, and say hi to Jeremy is.

What other meetings can you fit in today? As Stan and I hopped from one face-to-face to the next, I realized: Great salespeople schedule their out-of-office days like military generals, taking advantage of time and geography. They fill these days with activity, one meeting flows into the next, and they always have a plan B. If one of Stan’s clients cancels on him at the last minute, he’ll likely have a backup person in the same office he can ask to go see instead.

What are you wearing? Mark Zuckerberg can get away with a hoodie. But for everyone else, corporate sales has a distinct uniform, and that uniform is probably a suit—whether you’re a man or a woman.

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