An off kilter look at sales tips & tricks for telesales professionals
Issue 6: Construction Edition

Fines Double in a Work Zone

As I sat stuck in traffic due to road work (don’t get me wrong, the road I was on needed paving for YEARS and the end result will be fantastic) I began thinking about how individual sales sometimes end up in work zones of their own. Not to mention prospects and customers!

Detour

Here is the crazy thing; it isn’t like we don’t have warning - both on the road and in sales.

Like the economic detour we are currently on.

It isn’t new anymore, we’ve known about it for over a year - yet when talking with salespeople, many don’t take it into consideration when they are working on their opportunities.

Here are the top 3 UpYourTeleSales.com tips about the economic detour:

Risk
Shoulder Drop Off

Many buyers are deciding which holds less risk; purchasing absolutely nothing OR doing something.

In a world where people are concerned that making the wrong decision will cost them their job, don’t underestimate the power of risk over the sales process.

Don’t miss the signs, ask the prospect if that is the decision they are being asked to make;

“_____, many of my customers seem to be in position where they are choosing between the risks of doing something vs. doing nothing, is that true for you?”

Don’t wait, if there isn’t a flag person on duty, take the initiative to ask questions before you drop off the pavement.

C-Level Sign Off
Be Prepared To Stop

Purchases that once were made with no approval now need a boss.

Consequently, those that use to need a boss - now need a director.

You see where this is going right? The fear of delays and stops hold many salespeople from asking about process early. Especially with existing customers.

UpYourTeleSales.com believes that not asking is more frightening.

There is nothing worse than believing an order is coming in... counting on it even... then having it pushed out because of a missing signature.

Even worse, seeing your sure thing canceled because someone wouldn’t sign off on the expense.

“_____, almost everyone I talk with has had their personal approval limits changed. One of my customers who could spend up to $2500 without talking with anyone else - now has to get approval at $500 - what does it look like there?”

The Committee
Rough Road

More and more often purchasing is done by a committee. There are two problems for salespeople that come along with The Committee:
  1. Your main contact is one of many vs. the one.

      2. In the past, your main contact was the be all and end all decision making vehicle.

      Today, there are lots of people working together.

      The new team might even be made up of people you have never met.

      • Orange Cone - the person on the committee that wants everyone to know how important they are so they keep popping up with opinions.
      • Slow/Stop Sign - someone who flip flops from stopping the process completely, then lets it move forward until BAM they flip back to stop again.
      • Steamroller - comes with their own agenda (perhaps even another vendor) and tries to drive over everyone else.
      • Line Painter - makes sure that everyone knows the direction of traffic and how things are “suppose to” go. Don’t try crossing their wet paint.
      • Road Closed - this is the person on the committee who believes that doing nothing is less risky than taking any action at all.

      Learn more, get introduced, and be sure to understand your main contacts position within the committee.

      If you can, it isn’t a bad idea to find out how often your main contact gets their way!

  2. Someone else may be presenting your solution, product, company and they’re not a salesperson!

      This doesn’t mean you don’t need to work hard on being the person who presents to the committee!

      Rather this is when that just isn’t an option at all.

      This detour to the sales process is frightening because you have no way of knowing what the terrain looks like or how much longer it might take.

      Instead of being hands off: work with your main contact to ensure they have all the skills they need to drive your solution through the work zone.
Slow Traffic Ahead
Some of the signs we see are a mild warning. If you pay attention; you will not get frustrated and neither will your prospects.

Again, the key is to pay attention! That is why signs are posted.

Some require drastic measures. Where taking a long detour is preferable to keeping your foot on the gas and hoping for the best.

REMEMBER
In sales, like on the road, construction will come to an end. The road will be smooth and traffic patterns back to normal.

How you perform as you navigate through the construction will position you once it is over.

Through Traffic Merge Left
Fines are doubled in a work zone

If you’re not helping traffic move along smoothly by letting people merge (even if it is slow going) your prospects and customers will see you differently.

Make sure you are positioned as the right partner when you, your prospects, and customers see everyone’s favorite construction sign.
End Detour
Join In the US we celebrate Labor Day the 1st Monday in September. To children and parents the holiday weekend is the unofficial end of summer.

Where I live, it is also known as the end of construction season. Here is my haiku about it:

Sure signs of summer
Two lanes ahead, use caution
Time slowly creeps by

Sorry for the tangent - back to Labor Day... although I know that it is called Labor Day because of the “8 hour movement”;
  • 8 hours of work
  • 8 hours of recreation
  • 8 hours of rest
I’ve always felt that as we are recreating and resting in celebration, shouldn’t it be laborless day?


An UpYourTeleSales.com Reminder


Is NOT a sign that is always visible to us, but other people can always see when it is posted.

When sales are shifting lanes WHY ME is an easy mindset to fall into.

Remember most of your prospects and customers feel exactly the same way. They want to move forward as quickly as you do to finish their projects and tasks.

Make sure you don’t enter the Whining Zone yourself, but be there to listen when THEY need you to.


TeleSales Twist

How does construction show up in telesales?
  • Your contact goes from calling you all the time to NOT being available at all.
  • Firm deadlines start slipping without explanation.
  • People who use to call are now dropping you short emails instead.
  • On calls, some direct questions are completely ignored (we call this the “lalala I can’t hear you syndrome”)

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If so, please include the bio below and let us know when and where it will appear.

Lynn Hidy, founder of UpYourTeleSales.com, is the specialist at creating profitable telesales sales people and organizations. She knows you can make six figures over the phone - she does it! Working with Lynn you will learn to create a phone experience where they will forget you aren't actually having a cup of coffee together.

To find out more about Lynn, read her latest articles, or subscribe to A Chip Off The Block, her free newsletter - call 315-751-0146 or visit www.upyourtelesales.com.
UpYourTeleSales.com
259 Whittier Ave, Syracuse, NY 13204
315-751-0146