from a good sales call to a great sales call
DESCRIPTION
From the book "From a Good Sales Call to a Great Sales Call" by Richard Schroder (McGraw-Hill, 2010) easy steps salespeople can use to conduct their own “performance evaluation”—and then apply valuable lessons learned from their errors and successes.TRANSCRIPT
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From a Good Sales Call to a GREAT Sales CallClose More by Gathering Candid Prospect Feedback
Richard M. SchroderNow available from McGraw-Hill
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Click to edit Master title styleQuestion for Audience
What percentage of the time do you
think salespeople get the complete and
accurate truth from prospects about
why they lost?
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Click to edit Master title styleWhy did I lose?
First question salespeople ask themselves when they
lose: Why did I lose?
Salespeople often ask prospects why they lost in a
new business situation
Prospects share the complete truth LESS THAN
HALF THE TIME
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Click to edit Master title styleSalesperson’s Stated Perceptions vs. Actual Reasons
Salesperson’s assessment is completely
wrong
Salesperson’s understanding
is complete and accurate
Salesperson has part
of the story but other part
is unknown
32% 40%
28%
In 60% of new business situations, salespeople do not have a complete and accurate understanding of why
they lost
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Click to edit Master title styleThe Final Overlooked Element of the Sales Process
1. Getting in the door
2. Establishing a connection
3. Conducting a needs analysis
4. Presenting
5. Answering questions / objections
6. Closing the sale
7. Conducting
a post-decision debrief
Conduct a post-decision
interview with the prospect
after each sales cycle has ended
(win or lose)
Sales training has failed to cover this important final element of the sales process.
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Click to edit Master title styleThe Final Overlooked Element of the Sales Process
If you don’t truly understand why you win and lose, how are you expected to improve your performance?
Only after you obtain accurate and candid feedback on your sales performance can you institute meaningful change
Post-decision debriefs allow you to mitigate your own unique sales process deficiencies
90% of salespeople believe they could improve upon how they debrief with prospects
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Click to edit Master title stylePrimary Reasons Prospects are Not Candid
Prospects do not want to hurt the salesperson’s feelings
Prospects fear confrontation
Reasons prospects
are not candid during
debriefs
Ways in which
salespeople inhibit feedback process
Overlap of Communication
Gaps
The real reasons for loss may make the prospect look bad
Earlier problems in the sales process can impact prospects’ candor
Prospects don’t spend a lot of time giving salespeople bad news
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Click to edit Master title stylePrimary Reasons Salespeople Inhibit the Feedback Process
Salespeople are not in an objective position
Salespeople are often unprepared when conducting a debrief
Salespeople usually do not know the right questions to ask
The true reasons for loss are difficult to obtain if the salesperson is not selling directly to the decision maker
Inherent issues with selling through intermediaries, channels or partners
Reasons prospects
are not candid during
debriefs
Ways in which
salespeople inhibit feedback process
Overlap of Communication
Gaps
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Click to edit Master title styleSalespeople Are Often Unprepared when Conducting a Debrief
The “break-up” call is worst time to gather feedback
Prospects want to get salesperson off the phone quickly, limiting feedback
Salespeople are not fully prepared with line of questioning
Only 19% of salespeople set up a separate call to perform post-decision debriefs with prospects
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Click to edit Master title styleSalespeople Do Not Know the Right Questions to Ask
Limited research and literature on subject
Sales training programs / seminars do not cover Win / Loss reviews
Sales managers often overlook this key aspect of the sales process
Only 18% of salespeople have been involved in a formal Win / Loss program
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Click to edit Master title styleSetting Up a Post-Decision Debrief Call
Getting in the door (i.e., cold calling,
networking and
referrals)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Establishing a
connection/ rapport
Conducting a needs analysis
Presenting
Answering questions
and handling
objections
Closing the sale
Debriefing with
prospects
Ask for permission to conduct a post-decision
interview early in the process -- once you have begun presenting your
services Do not debrief when you first hear you lost the deal
Schedule a separate debrief call after you have accepted the loss and let the prospect know that you will not try to change their decision
Ask: “Do you have your calendar handy?”
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Click to edit Master title styleUse a Debrief Questionnaire
Salespeople who use a debrief questionnaire have a 15% HIGHER CLOSE RATE
Maximizes feedback / keeps conversation focused
Allows you to easily take organized notes
Questionnaire can be referred back to should you reengage with prospect in the future
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Click to edit Master title stylePost-Decision Debrief Questionnaire
Average interview can take 10-15 minutes (but can run as long as 40 minutes)
Great way to learn from your successes and failures
Consider having someone else conduct the interview for you (e.g., someone else from your company, outside cold-caller, etc.)
For a customizable Word version of a sample debrief guide, go to www.theanovagroup.com/debriefguide.htm
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Click to edit Master title styleHow to Act During a Debrief Call
Start the call in a positive manner that sets the tone for candor
Make sure that you really want to hear constructive feedback (the prospect will be able to tell if you don’t)
Take responsibility for everything that occurred during the sales process
Don’t get defensive or angry, don’t debate with the prospect and don’t try to resell the prospect
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Click to edit Master title styleProven Techniques to Gather the Most Valuable Info
Take notes to make prospect feel important and keep them talking
Probe for specifics. Ask, “How do you mean?” or “Say more”
Use silence to get the prospect talking
Understand that whatever the prospect talks about most was
important to them during the sales process
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Click to edit Master title styleBenefits of Post-Decision Interviews
Develop organic self-improvement training program
Take responsibility for the true, candid reasons why prospects buy and don’t buy from you / your company
Improve the effectiveness of your sales presentations
Determine key drivers for closing new business
Identify prospect perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of your products and services
Uncover unmet prospect / customer needs
Gather competitive intelligence
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From a Good Sales Call to a GREAT Sales CallClose More by Gathering Candid Prospect Feedback
Richard M. SchroderNow available from McGraw-Hill