I am going to agree and disagree with the thoughts expressed in posts #26 through #30.
People can learn a script, "power phrases" (hate that term), closing techniques, etc but those don't necessarily make a person successful.
Anyone that has been around this business for a few years has been exposed to countless scripts, selling seminars, books, etc.
They work for a while and then they don't.
Why?
Because in most cases, no matter how rehearsed, the cadence, verbiage and style is not natural for the sales person.
Selling is mostly about communicating in a way that does not seem practiced, involves some level of emotion and conveys (to the prospect) a message that says "you can trust me".
Folks may need insurance, siding, a car, a roof, computer or whatever. But until they WANT it you are probably not going to make the sale. Everyone wants to know WIIFM?
I can't tell you how many scripts I have learned, how many times I have practiced them in front of a group or manager, and I had some level of success. Also had classes on how to decide the type of buyer you were meeting. Are they analytical or emotional? Do they want to be told what to do or have someone listen to what is said and then be presented with solutions?
I did reasonably well in sales but never felt comfortable, and never really considered myself a sales person. Mostly because I had more than one manager tell me to find something else. One even said I had the talent to be a bag boy in a grocery store.
What turned things around for me, and gave me confidence, was reading Jeff Gitomer, Seth Godin and Tom Freese - Secrets of Question Based Selling
Gitomer taught me "people love to buy but they hate to be sold"
Godin taught me that interruption selling is a dead end.
Freese taught me to ask questions, listen and take notes. If you ask the right questions your prospect will tell you exactly what they want.
There are a number of successful sales people, artists, mechanics and craftsmen. But few of them can be successful at running a business and training others. More than one recruiter / manager tried to teach me THEIR way to success but all it did was make me frustrated.
Product knowledge is good, but people knowledge is better. Until you find a way to encourage people to trust you with their money you will never really achieve all that you can be.
People can learn a script, "power phrases" (hate that term), closing techniques, etc but those don't necessarily make a person successful.
Anyone that has been around this business for a few years has been exposed to countless scripts, selling seminars, books, etc.
They work for a while and then they don't.
Why?
Because in most cases, no matter how rehearsed, the cadence, verbiage and style is not natural for the sales person.
Selling is mostly about communicating in a way that does not seem practiced, involves some level of emotion and conveys (to the prospect) a message that says "you can trust me".
Folks may need insurance, siding, a car, a roof, computer or whatever. But until they WANT it you are probably not going to make the sale. Everyone wants to know WIIFM?
I can't tell you how many scripts I have learned, how many times I have practiced them in front of a group or manager, and I had some level of success. Also had classes on how to decide the type of buyer you were meeting. Are they analytical or emotional? Do they want to be told what to do or have someone listen to what is said and then be presented with solutions?
I did reasonably well in sales but never felt comfortable, and never really considered myself a sales person. Mostly because I had more than one manager tell me to find something else. One even said I had the talent to be a bag boy in a grocery store.
What turned things around for me, and gave me confidence, was reading Jeff Gitomer, Seth Godin and Tom Freese - Secrets of Question Based Selling
Gitomer taught me "people love to buy but they hate to be sold"
Godin taught me that interruption selling is a dead end.
Freese taught me to ask questions, listen and take notes. If you ask the right questions your prospect will tell you exactly what they want.
There are a number of successful sales people, artists, mechanics and craftsmen. But few of them can be successful at running a business and training others. More than one recruiter / manager tried to teach me THEIR way to success but all it did was make me frustrated.
Product knowledge is good, but people knowledge is better. Until you find a way to encourage people to trust you with their money you will never really achieve all that you can be.
