In order to most effectively solve your customer's problems you have to ask questions, the "right" questions and most importantly, listen to the answers you get. The best source of information about a sales prospect's business problem is the prospect themselves. However, any seasoned salesperson will tell you that the customer does not always know what their problem is, how it happened or how to deal with it. Without a proven list of proble ... Read more »

That is why I can't stress enough the importance of taking full advantage of your leads once you receive them.

Leads are not meant to sit around pinned onto bulletin boards, or placed in a tickler file. They are meant to be acted on.

The thought process of the customer is to shop around for a product or service, so they have put the word on the street that they are on the market for a particular product.

If someone within your professional circle gives you a qualified lead, it is highly reasonable that the customer on this lead has made several people aware of their interests in a product or service. Which would mean that their name and phone number is being passed around ... Read more »

When I was a new loan officer, finding a lead company was not easy, I can remember logging onto Yahoo, typing in the key word "mortgage leads" and being bombarded with links leading me in the direction of lead companies all claiming to have the best leads and the best deal for me!

But what was the best deal for me? That all depended on what I was looking for, so taking my time, I began to right down exactly what it was I was looking for, did I want refi's, purchases, or both. Did I want leads from several states or just one, how much could I afford? Etc., etc.

Before I invested any money, I decided I was really going to do my home work, I went to sites of the companies I was considering to read their terms and conditions, I spoke with ... Read more »

When you approach a prospective customer, it can be a challenge to get the customers attention, let alone getting them to strike up a conversation with you.

Most people don't want to be bothered, their perception of a sales person is that of a used car sales man or the Macy's girl who approaches you in the aisle and wants to squirt perfume all over you.

Another reason people don't want to be bothered, is because they believe they will end up wasting their money on something they don't even need.

If you can get them talking, you can figure out what it is they do need, and than explain the products you have that could possibly satisfy their needs.

When you are meeting someone face to face, and you can show them your product up close, it is easy for them to get a visual because they are looking at it with their own eye's, and they can hold it in their own hands.

But seeing and feeling the product is not enough. You want your customers to see themselves using your product. You want to give them the visual of being in action with the product.

For instance, the last time I was on the market for a car, I went to a local dealership looking to test drive some jeeps.

The salesman showed me the jeeps he had on sale, and he even let m ... Read more »

Have you ever been around a sales person who seems to have everything going for him?

He has no problem talking to people, people like him, he seems to meet all of his sales goals so effortlessly.

This is not because he is lucky, or he was born with a natural gift when it came to selling. It is because he took the time and effort to make sure he went into the field well trained with the appropriate sales skills and product knowledge to make his sales seem as though they come without any effort.

This sales person, through hard work and sales training, has given himself the power of persuasion because he has the ability to find out what it is that his customers need.

... Read more »

We all have our sales goals to meet on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. This doesn't mean that once we get a sale out of our customer, that we hurry them out the door and move onto the next one.

Build a relationship with your customer. As you close the deal on your sale, talk to your customer, find out what it is they need and can use that you can provide them with.

People love to talk about themselves, so it shouldn't be too hard to get them talking.

Ask about their job, their family, their pets, their hobbies, etc.

For instance, when I was in banking, working within the branch network and someone came in to open a checking account, ... Read more »

As D.E.I. Management Group President and author, Steve Schiffman says in his book "The 250 Sales Questions to Close the Deal:"

What if I ask the person to describe pressing business problems that he or she will face in the future? What if I build my proposal around th ... Read more »

Lead companies sell their leads in a variety of ways. Some allow you to cherry pick, some allow you to set up a filter, and some only sell in bulk.

The pricing on leads from company to company varies also, as you'll see, it depends on what you are buying.

Some lead companies buy their leads from other companies and sell them in bulk, or recycle them at a profit.

Some lead companies sell their leads "fresh" or "real time," meaning the lead is brand new. Approximately ten minutes old by the time it reaches you.

When you are buying leads that have been recycled, you will most likely get a lo ... Read more »

Every day, make an attempt to build on the relationships you have with your customer. Don't just say hi as they walk in and goodbye as they leave.

The last thing you want to do is make your customer feel like a statistic.

Let them know that their business with you is appreciated. Talk to them, strike up a non-business conversation with them. It could involve just about anything, such as the weather, sports, a movie, pets, etc.

Non-business conversation puts your customer at ease and gets them talking. The more they talk to you, the more they will open up to you, opening the door for more sales opportunities.

... Read more »