Sales Intelligentsia

Sales Basics: Saying No

Even a very negative experience can have a strong positive impact on your business knowledge and confidence. With success comes the valued ability to say no to business that you have a bad feeling about. Even the hungry newcomer needs to learn and exercise this important confidence-builder. Turning down work often enhances your desirability in the eyes of others because of a quirk of human nature that makes us want what we can’t have. Once you’ve decided not to take on a project, trust your feelings and don’t give in to offers of higher payment or improved control. The underlying reason for not taking the job still exists. Be polite but firm and express the hope that at some future time you can work together on a different kind of project.

The Appointment: Ending The Meeting and Following Up

Try to be the one who ends the meeting. Say that you’ve got all the information you need and that you’ll either get back to them or that you can handle the work (if that’s the case). Quickly review what you’ve learned with the customer and ask them if you’ve covered everything. Arrange the next meeting, if necessary or a start date for delivering the proposal or starting the work and thank them for their time.
By taking control at the end you make life a lot easier for them. They don’t have to kick you out or cut you off. And it shows that both you and they have busy lives and that you respect that.

Review and Follow-up

After the appointment it is very important to schedule a review period with yourself. Think about what was accomplished or what was not and try to identify what worked and what didn’t. Make notes in your customer file and use them later. If you missed a question or need a little more information simply call them and ask for it. Say: ‘I was going over my notes and I realized that I still wasn’t clear on….’
Always follow-up with a personal note thanking them for their time. If you’re doing business together tell them you look forward to working together. If you’re not, tell them you hope to in the future. These follow up notes generate future business, turn negative meetings around and generate referrals. They are vital. And your competition probably never sends them.

The Appointment: Preparation and Stage Fright

The only way to get right down to business and really make progress within a brief meeting is by being fully prepared. This preparation includes:
• Customer Research- Go out and find out as much as you can about their business. Ask business acquaintances, go to the Internet and look up articles about them and check with business associations. This is both a background check to warn you of potential problems and an information gathering process. It really helps when they think you’ve done your homework.
• Portfolio and Presentation Preparation- You must customize your presentation to the needs of each customer and you should do it ahead of time.
• Rehearsal- Go over your presentation either mentally or with a partner to make sure you cover all the points. Use notes if necessary. A rehearsal is a powerful tool for making your presentation sing.
• Call To Confirm- Always call that morning or the day before to confirm that you’re still on. This can be done with an assistant, secretary or other gatekeeper who has access to your prospect’s schedule. It saves time and serves as a reminder that you’re coming in.

Preparation also includes dealing with stage fright. Stage fright is a common affliction and, to a certain degree, is a healthy indication of getting yourself ‘up’ for the event. Carried too far, it can serve as an excuse to avoid selling. Stage fright recedes with experience and preparation. If you lack experience make up for it by preparing carefully and rehearsing. And remember what I was told the first time I got on stage at a crowded nightclub with my first band: Everybody gets it but once you get started it goes away. This is true if you have prepared well.