Stephen M. Haines - Tips for sales professionals

Thanks for taking the time between your facebook posts to read my blog.  A friend just texted me that he was following a tweet that suggested another blog encouraged emailing your friend list.  In today's e-connected culture, the true art of how to talk to another human being... I mean, really talk, well - that's becoming a lost art. So, let me help you with a few tips on how to make the phone work for you.  First, some philosophy.  When calling prospects to schedule another appointment with them, two things can happen - you talk to them, or go to voicemail.  So, the first philosophy is that when you pick up the phone, you better have 2 plans, based on the two possibilities! So, if it goes to voicemail, your whole mission is to entice the receiver to call you back.  Don't sell, don't give away incentives, don't be desperate.  Get them to call you back.  The best way to do that is to be personal and intriguing.  Try something like "This is...

Pulling your hair out only creates a bad hair day! You've tried everything you can think of - called your best clients, dressed better - maybe you even bathed today!  However, you are not getting the results you desire. Many salespeople, no matter how grounded or religious in other areas of their life, get very superstitious when it comes to sales.  I often ask a sales professional "Why do you have a salt shaker on your desk, and your trophies are all turned backwards?"  The response, with all the confidence and shock in the world, "Well, I have a strong appointment today, and I don't want to jinx it."  Really?  Don't you hope your surgeon has more confidence in her ability the next time you need a procedure?? Here's the cold, hard, facts.  Sales is a blend of art and science, of  "try" and "do" work, as one of my old bosses used to say.  On the art side, it is an art to read buying signals, to know when to shut up, to kn...