Three Types of Information

July 19th, 2016

There are that we deal with every day. They are:

  • Context – Big Picture
  • Content – nuts and bolts
  • Meaning – the impact.

It is the interaction between these types of information that will give you the edge in any sales presentation.

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The interaction between Content and Context is interplay. The Context will inform the content, and the content proves or disproves the context. Knowing this will show you what forces are at play in decision-making.

The interaction between Context and Meaning is Interpretation. How beliefs, values, experiences and expectations change what someone understands.

The interaction between Content and Meaning is Implementation. This exposes drivers of behavior. It is the proof of what will happen. It’s post purchase. Can they afford to operate what they bought? What action will they take?

These 6 levels of information are about awareness. They inform what is going on in any sale or presentation. Understanding this will keep you away from dealing on price.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


No I wont recommend your app.

July 12th, 2016

When app developers ask if I would recommend their app they are assuming that I want to recommend it.

I’m not sure if anyone sits around thinking, “Now who can I recommend this app to?”

They ask this because they want their app recommended – and that’s fair enough.

But that’s not where the users’ thoughts are. Their thoughts are how easy the app is to use, how functional it is and if they like it.

If that is where their thoughts are, that’s the place to start. Simply ask, “How do you like our app?” If the user likes it then you can suggest they recommend it. If the user doesn’t like it you get valuable feedback.

It’s like asking if you can move in on the first date. Sure you both might want to do that eventually, but the first date is not the time to ask.

What questions is your team asking?

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


Perception of Time

July 5th, 2016

 

Sales people and buyers have a different perception of time.

A sales person is very reactive. If the phone rings they answer it. If an email blings they check it. If a fax comes in they process it.

Any productivity expert will tell you this is a terrible way to run your day – you’re at the mercy of others. However, every sales manager will tell you to answer every call – it could be a sale! Sales people spend so much time and effort getting the phone to ring they need to answer it.

Buyers on the other hand are very deliberate. They know they need to buy your stuff, but not for three months. They will answer your call then.

Getting the buyer to shorten the three months is about the value the sales person offers them.

If the buyer won’t take your call for three months, best check the value you are offering.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


The Problem with Fighting Fire with Fire

June 28th, 2016

A week out from the football Grand Final is not uncommon for the head coach to bring in a coach from another sporting discipline. It might be a hockey coach, golf coach or any other similar but different expert in their field.

They bring them in for a different perspective. They have climbed their own mountain and can offer their insight that the team will benefit from. They give the team a slight edge…that something that their opposition doesn’t have.

Without this slight edge the coach is relying on the team to execute the same moves as the other side but to a higher standard. If the grand final has the best teams of the competition this is a risky strategy – there is no differentiation.

If you do the same training as everyone else you don’t differentiate. If you don’t differentiate you are back to where you started – the same as the opposition.

Look outside the box when getting training.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


The Value of Time

June 21st, 2016

An in-house engineer is paid around $100,000 a year – give or take. That’s about $50 per hour.

Their employer charges them out at $150 per hour. That’s how they make their money.

If a sales person visits and offers them less than $150 potential value during the call they will not be invited back.

If they offer $150 in potential value the sales person will be seen as doing the bare minimum amount of work to get by. They generally aren’t invited back.

To be taken seriously, the sales person has to offer potential value greater than $150.

How much should be offered? Two times, five times, or ten times?

The answer to that is not as important as the value your sales team heads out with. A new brochure is about $1 in value – even full colour ones.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


The Awful Party Guest

June 7th, 2016

There is nothing worse than the party guest who spends the whole time talking about themselves. You know the one – they are just itching to tell you about what they do and why they are great. They are boring and to be avoided at all costs.

They’d be more interesting if they knew something about the person they were speaking to and could share what they do in a way that would be interesting to them. Unfortunately they don’t.

Are your sales presentations that awful party guest? The way you tell is to look at the first few slides of your sales presentation. If it’s about your company you could be that guest.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


Unique vs. Relevant

May 31st, 2016

 

Terminal uniqueness is a curse we suffer. We think we are unique – just like everybody else. We have the best service, a great product at the right price. Do you want to buy one?*

To us these are obvious factors that drive what we do. But to the customer it is just marketing guff. It’s all noise not music.

You’re better off to be relevant. When you’re relevant, service, price and lead times fall to second level importance.

But you can only be relevant when you can diagnose the customers’ problem. If you don’t know their problems you wont be relevant. If you’re not relevant your service, price and product wont mean a thing. If they don’t mean a thing there is no reason to buy.

Be relevant before being unique.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”. To find out more or to purchase copies of this book click here

 


Context vs Content

May 17th, 2016

In my psychology degree I was taught that there are three types of information about a situation. They are:

  • Context – Big picture stuff
  • Content – the nuts and bolts of what is going on
  • Meaning – the meaning of what is going on.

In counseling, it doesn’t matter what you do with the content if you don’t understand the context (e.g. If you want to stop someone gambling no intervention will work until you change the context of the patient hanging out with gamblers all day).

It is the same in sales. It doesn’t matter what content you sell if you don’t understand the context that the buyer is in.

Understand the buyer’s context first, then give the content. That will help you understand their meaning.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”, ​Due out May 2016. To find out more and register for pre-release information click here

 


What’s the agenda?

May 3rd, 2016

In all the on-the-road sales mentoring I have done for clients, it is amazing to see that very few sales reps set an agenda for a sales call. An agenda that the customer sees before hand.

The result is that the sales person starts speaking about themselves without knowing what the customer wants to buy. This gives control of the sales call to the buyer and they can move you on when they have had enough.

Set an agenda that gives you control of the meeting and you will have more power in the conversation.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”, ​Due out May 2016. To find out more and register for pre-release information click here


Jump with Care

April 26th, 2016

There is an old sales maxim that we do business with people we like. It makes sense and is at the heart of the relationship sales movement.

With so much competition in the market, this idea has evolved into doing business with people we deem as worthy of our trade.

If you want a buyer to give you an order number, they have to see that you are worthy of receiving it. They want to know if you’re their equal in the relationship or if they can walk all over you.

To see if you are worthy of the business, buyers will test you. It may be subtle (not returning a call when they said they would) or overt (talking over you or ignoring your comments in a meeting).

Sometimes they do this for fun (not sending that big order through until 6pm on a Friday afternoon) or because they want to see how you react (giving 24 hours to re-work a full tender).

These are hoops they put up for you to jump through. How you jump through them (or don’t) tells them how worthy of their business you are.

If they can walk all over you from day 1, how much power will you have when you need to negotiate further business?

Jumping through hoops shows where you sit in the relationship. Jump with care.

 

This is an edited extract from my new book “Better Positioning Deeper Conversations More Sales”, ​Due out May 2016. To find out more and register for pre-release information click here

 


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