How To Sell Show

HTSS160 - A simple sales pitch destroys complex ideas - Scott Sylvan Bell

A simple sales pitch will outperform a complex sales presentation 

When you give your sales presentation you will want to remember that persuasion is simplicity. The easier it is to get someone to take an action or to say yes, the faster you can close deals. As you go through the idea of persuasion is simplicity this covers all spectrums of the sales process. You will see from being in sales long enough this is part of:

• The presentation 
• The demonstration 
• Asking for the sale 
• Follow up 
• Sales management
• CRM 

 

Long stories that are cute will destroy your sales process. When you talk too long your buyer will lose interest. There is only so long you can keep someone captivated.  Just like jokes have to have a build up and then resolution so does your sales presentation. The huge item to remember is the juice must be worth the squeeze not just for the buyer but also for yourself. 

How to make your sales presentation more powerful 

If you want to make sure your sales presentation is converting as much as it can then you will want to simplify the conversation. You can talk in sound bites. This means you simplify your answer to 3-5 sentences organized in a way that makes sense.  Talking to fill time is boring and its predictable that you talking in circles.

 

Simple sales presentations with buyers while removing complexity

The more complex your sales presentation is at any step the larger your chance of having struggles. Any any of these steps you can lose out:

• Your introduction
• Questions
• Rapport
• Your presentation – complex distilled
• Your answers
• Your questions
• Follow up 

 

Sales Management and complexity 

Sales ownership and management can casue salespeople to have anxiety and extra stress. The more items piled onto salespeople the more complex the sales process becomes. Here are the most common places where business owners and sales managers create complex selling situaions. 

• Complicated presentation processes
• Complicated sales presentation process
• Complicated CRMs
• These are not just a problem for the buyer you will also crate problems for salespeople
•  

HTSS159 - What to expect when private equity buys your employer in sales (Part 1) - Scott Sylvan Bell

Private equity and your sales role changes 

Private equity is buying small, medium, and large businesses.  These roll-ups are being fueled for revenue and future values of the companies. The company you work for could be in the hands of an owner you know one day and then its sold the next.  You have an owner you know one day and then you are owned by a faceless group the next. The first thing they say is “nothing will change”. You need to know this isnt true. 

What to expect from new company owners with private equity 

When a company is bought you will have major changes coming your way. You can expect these changes to happen quickly. Here are a few things to expect:

• Prices will be increased / maybe multiple times
• It will mostly be about the money from here on out
• Rules will change / all of them
• Investment in your 401 / retirement will change
• They may want you to train / they want your skills to be duplicated across their company
• Teams will be combined

Management changes in sales when private equity buys your employer 

When the company you work for is bought by private equity management will change. You must know there will be problems behind the scenes. The new managers need to show their power and the old managers will have to fight for positions. You will be left holding the bag and answering to new people. 

• There will be power struggles with the new and old management team
• Management will be brought in to not have to live up to old agreements and ideas
• You may have issues with managers trying to hold onto their positions first, dealing with your concerns 10^th

The previous owners you answered to no longer can help you 

You may feel helpless when the "old owners" cant do a thing to help you. The problems you used to be able to address cant be fixed. You will get empty promises, at the end of the day the old owners are there for the transition only. 

• The old owners may be around but have no ability to make choices and decisions
• The owners will have to stick around for 12 months – 18 months / they have no skin in what happens
• You will get told to "hold on" things will get better 

The new owners and private equity 

When the new owners and managers step in preparation for rainbows and sandcastle stories. Everything will be shown as magnificent.  The new owners want to size up the team to see who should stay and who should go. 

• There will be promises made, hey may or may not be real
• They will sell you on the new ideas and the future 

The new new owners under private equity 

The valuation of the company will change and will attract new buyers. It's not uncommon for companies to be bought and sold a few times in a year to get to the next valuation.  

• The company will be sold again and packaged with another company

You have decisions when the company you work for is bought by private equity 

If you are in sales you should always prepare for a departure from the company you work for. It doesn't matter if it's a better opportunity or for you to be fired.

• Make your water mark for what you will put up with a private equity purchase
• Look for connections now so you are not stuck when the company you work for is bought out by private equity
• You may want to be the first one off the team looking for a better position

HTSS157 - Internal sales reframes that matter for success - Scott Sylvan Bell

Important sales reframe you need to close deals and stay sane 

What you tell yourself matters before a sales call, during a sales call, and after a sales call matters. How you describe your problems to yourself and others matters more than you know. As you talk to yourself you are creating a "program" for your mind. This programming creates energy and will take you in good directions with sales or bad ones. 

Any salesperson can lose their edge in sales, or they can say they are slightly off. When you describe your problems to others you are signaling to your brain what you think of yourself. You do have threats and opportunities here. 

The great rule in sales about internal thoughts 

Pay attention to this statement "It's you against you in sales first, it's you against your team second then third it's you against the world". When you look at sales in this manner it helps. 

You don’t have problems with your sales process – you have opportunities

• Look for ways to reframe what you struggle with
• I am still learning vs I suck
• Nobody buys from me vs some people buy from me

Your beliefs and thoughts matter in sales 

Everything starts with your belief about your skills, your abilities. Doubt can ruin your sales process even if you are on the top. Be aware you may have co workers who try to tear you down and mess with your doubt – your competition already does this to you. You will know who your friends are and are not.

You get the opportunity to use your mouth to make money and not your hands – this is why pure sales is amazing. I see and hear people say I am going to leave sales to go back to work in other fields. 

HTSS158 - Traits in buyers that drive salespeople crazy - Scott Sylvan Bell

Common traits that drive salespeople crazy in the middle of a deal

As you work on your sales call or interact with people there will be traits that bother you. You have to live a style of life to close deals and make actions happen. As you work with people on a daily basis your conversation will flow towards making actions happen. 

What you see even when not in a deal 

As you sell you have to paint the picture and the vision of the idea. As you preframe the sales using verbiage like "when" will turn into an "if". When you are selling you have to get people to buy into the idea and or the conecpt. what you will see is indecision from the buyer and not  being able to choose and say yes.

There time of a deal in sales 

Long winded people chew through time and drag the sell on. Over verbose or wordy people speak in terms of too many words. As people talk for a long time it puts pressure on you to focus longer. When you are not selling long winded people will drive you up the wall. 

It takes outcome orientation to close deals

People who are not outcome-oriented will drag on your capabilities to make something happen. You will find they don't understand moving forward or making a decision. They don’t look to the horizon and they are not real with goals.   

Some people don't understand time constraints 

Not all people understand time and what it does to others. There is a saying in sales that time kills all deals. People don't see that on the edge of the horizon and see possibilities. People who are paid by the hour in the office don't always understand the pressure of getting things done. Retired people do not keep track of time once they leave the workforce. There is not unlimited time for all actions to happen. 

HTSS156 - Every Hero needs a Villain in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

Learn how to sell more by looking at Heros and Villains 

If you want to be a top performer in sales you will want to look for ways to describe what you are doing but differently. When you can think through problems a little diffrenlty and then explain them to others it creates conflict and interest. 

There are 2 movies that can help with the idea of a hero vs a villain. Both of these movies can shed some light on how to increase the conversation of a hero vs a villain. 

• Mission impossible 2
• Unbreakable

Explain a better advantage and or benefit in sales 

You have to be able to explain what you have or how your advantage matters. The problem is when done wrong this is boring. You can't just be the good guy. You need to add conflict to the conversation. You need to know what a villain is (every industry has multiple villains)

• Law
• Competitor
• Product flaw
• Salespeople
• Rule changes

Your buyer has villains and they need heroes 

What is it the buyer doesn’t like and what is it that they really hate? This is always a good place to start with looking to explain heroes and villains in sales. Just for a quick list or reference point here are the most common villains you will face in sales. 

• Pushy salesperson
• Terms
• Availability

How to spot villains and heroes in real-life examples 

Look for outside reference points to learn how to produce villains. You can start with character diamonds as a way to think through the plot of salespeople and villains. 

• WWE / WWF 
• Politics 
• The news

Your competition should be the villain

What does your competition do, this is a great place to build out a villain. 

• Bear traps - episode 152 of the how to sell show. 

You cant use the same villain as someone else as effective as building a new villain

• You need intrigue and surprise
• You have to be able to explain their problem better
• You are what fixes the problem as an expert / then the product or service

Actions you can take to create Heroes and Villains 

Sit down today and think of how you are the hero and who or what is the villain. Map these ideas out and tier them:

• What you market says vs what you do
• How others can pin you as the villain and how you can counter it

HTSS155 - How to answer are you paid on commission in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

Are you paid on commission in sales is a question you need to prepare for 

At some point, you will be asked about how you are compensated by a buyer. You need to understand why this is happening before you answer. Where you asked matters this question is in the first few minutes, in the middle, or at the end. Your confidence matters more than you know when you answer this question. 

When you are asked about commissions at the beginning of a sales call:

There are different times where you are asked this question in sales. It may be when you are asked at the beginning of the call your buyer is:

• Try to size you up for attitude
• Trying to size you up for trust
• Trying to find your tells (poker move)
• Trying to see how you answer
• They are trying to Intimidation
• They are trying to rattle you
• You started off with big words and scared them
• I don’t want to waste your time (I am after free advice and or expertise)
• How you dress or appeared to them – a possible mismatch of clothing to the client
• You said something silly – this goes for everyone
• Nervous energy

When you are asked about the commission in the middle of a sales call:

If you are asked about the commission in the middle of your sales calls there can be multiple reasons. Remember, where you are asked this question in the timeline of the meeting can matter. Here are a few reasons why you could be asked about commissions:

• The buyer is trying to size you up for discounts coming
• You triggered them – feels like you pushed an expensive item
• You said something silly – this goes for everyone
• The buyer had nervous energy
• You pushed the exclusive button in their mind = expensive

Getting asked about commissions pay at the end of a sales call

If you are being asked about your compensation at the end of your sales presentation there could be some good reasons and there could be some bad reasons. When this question is asked towards the end of the call it could be something you said, it could be nervous energy, and last of all it could be the buyer. Here are a few reasons why you could be asked about commission structure towards the end of a sales call:

• They are signaling for a discount and or asking for something shady. With this type of buyer, there may be some implications if they want you to "break some rules"
• They are looking for desperation in the salesperson = advantage on their part
• They are trying to figure out your cut vs the cost of the product

Other than reasons for being asked about commissions:

There are multiple reasons why you could be asked about your commissions from your buyer. Some of the stranger ones are more outliers than anything else. Here are a few reasons why you are asked about your pay or your cut from the sale. 

• The buyer wants to recruit you for another type of job or venture
• The buyer wants to set you up with a friend or relative
• Your buyer is socially awkward with people

How to answer if you are paid on commission in sales 

There are multiple ways to answer how you get paid in sales to your buyer. Some people are noisy, some awkward and some are looking to see how they can reduce their costs. These answers are given from low to high. This means they will go from weak to aggressive. You need to pay attention to your timing, pitch, tone, and cadence when answering this question. 

• No, I am paid by the hour 
• No, I get paid a flat fee for every product I sell 
• Yes, and if you are looking for a deal we can work something out
• There are fees for my service (Tommy Hopkins)
• Yes
• Yes, have you seen enough to make a decision?
• Yes, do you want option a or b?
• Absolutely and the fact I am paid on commissions wouldn’t stop you from moving forward, would it?
• That’s how every single salesperson makes a living, they are paid for their expertise and knowledge
• I am not quite sure how does that question helps you make your decision today?

It's your decision to answer how you are paid in sales 

At the end of the day how you answer the question about your commission is really up to you. What is important is taking the time to think through how you will answer today. When you look at your conversation think through what you may have said early on in the presentation to trigger this type of interaction. When it’s a weird reason for the buyer there will be a feel to it, you get to feel people like this out over time. 

HTSS154 - When to walk away from a sale or a deal - Scott Sylvan Bell

In sales you must know when to walk away from a deal 

Closing a deal is what all salespeople want at the end of the day. A deal can be a client, install, roll out, product and the list can go on and on. Whatever term you use for the item you sell is what you are trying to close to the person you are selling to. 

Why you lose interest in deals 

There is a point where the deal goes sour, you lose interest or it is no longer viable. You do have to pay attention because neediness can play a part in staying in a deal. You could need the money or the attention. One of the best resources on neediness is Jim Camp Start with no – Chapter 1. Your need for a sale could get you to stay into the deal for a time you should not. 

Holding onto a deal too long 

Sometimes salespeople hold onto the hope of a deal for way too long. There is a sweet spot of good as well as a one where you will end up losing:

• Time
• Energy
• Effort
• Risk 
• Money 

These 5 items are the main elements of rejection. You will try as hard as you can to protect your back end. You can be quitter by walking too soon, you can lose by staying too long.

Planning on walking away from a deal  

You will want to pre-plan the reasons you would walk from a deal. This doesn't mean you need to build out all contingencies possible. You will want to hit the high level of why you would walk away from a sale or a deal. There is a danger in walking away from a deal – it gets easier over time. Every time you walk away you can find more reasons to not stick in the sale or the process. 

Reasons you would walk from a deal

• Misrepresentation
• The person you are working with is scammy / not trustable ( so many levels here) – the deal was misrepresented, the person or group lied to you, you are having games played with you
• You figure the deal is one sided – the outcome doesn’t work for you (time, money, expose)
• Metrics are not being met – you hit your drop dead date
• The deal no longer makes sense “metrics are not being met”, the option isnt viable anymore
• You have lost interest – there is a point in all deals where you find something better (you have to be careful with this one)
• Legal issues – things pop up, lawsuits happen
• The project runs out of funding, the buyer loses funding and cant get it back (you should always have a back up)
• Major event in your life – death or health

Most salespeople think in terms of closing the sale or closing the deal. You do need to think through the reasons why you would not want the deal anymore. 

HTSS153 - How to determine your sales cycles and stay on top to close deals - Scott Sylvan Bell

Sales cycles are cyclical and you can close more deals knowing this

If you can stay in sales long enough you will find you run in cycles. Statistically speaking you will run through all 6 of these periods mentioned. If you keep good notes you can spot trends before they happen.

Top salespeople hold themselves accountable  

You have to be willing to be accountable to yourself, a CRM or a Manager.  When you are new the time frame typically is short and the run-up and rundowns happen quickly and the plateau is short.  If you have been in the field for a while the run up and run downs are quick but the plateaus are longer.

The Bell Curve of Sales Success 

Think of long term sales like a bell curve.  Everyone has their own time frame for this, meaning your time frame isnt someone elses time frame. You can look at what others are doing and see what phase or period they are in. 

There are 6 stages identified for sales success:

The climb – you are selling and getting traction

• Momentum is weird and it can be slow or fast. You are heading up the side of the bell curve. You may say things like “I can do this” , “this is hard but its worth it”

The Par – where you are closing and everything is good

• You have gotten your track and you feel like your feet are underneath you. You may say things to yourself like “I am back”, “I close deals” “I am good” “I am amazing”

The heater – borrowed from a run in a casino – You close everything

• You have momentum on your side and you can close sales. You may say things like “I am the best” or “I can close anyone” “I am the greatest man alive”

The plateau – where you are doing well but you feel slippage

• It sounds strange but you will wake up one morning without “fuel” you may also feel like you have a lack of focus. You may start having some doubt “Am I really this good” do I deserve can I really do this – doubt in the mind of

Sub par – where you are selling “not closing”

• There are 2 things that really create a slide backward and to a loss of leads.
• You have ego issues “I am the best and nobody can tell me what to do or how to do it
• You have a major event happen in your life (loss of / gain of from the money you just made)
• You will say things to yourself like “I made enough money this month / quarter” “I just need to make $__________ this month to pay my bills to be ok” – most of these conversations are about money than skill.

Freefall – Nothing is working and deals are not closing (panic + loss of control)

• Freefall in sales is the panic you feel when you know you have lost traction. You will tend to speed up your time in the presentation to get to the close. You talk about yourself a ton because your inward focus is on loss. You start trying huge discounts to close deals. You say things to yourself like “I cant do this” “Why do I keep getting the bad leads” anything that pits you against the world. Poor me is what it looks like from the outside. 

How to stay on top in sales

When you keep track of your sales process you can spot a dangerous trend before it begins. This does take some work and or effort on your part. If you really want to be a closer in sales you do need to know where you are going and what you are doing. 

HTSS152 - How to disrupt your competition with Bear Traps in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

Creating a Bear Trap for your competition and sabotage their sales process 

A bear trap is a covert way to “talk trash” on your competition and make the sale an “uphill battle”. When you make the other sales guy or sales girl work harder than they need to it can lead to you selling more. You may call this strategy something else, I had to give a name to it.

What is a bear trap in sales and why do you use them 

Bear traps in sales are a way to lock in an idea. You can use this content as a way to "lock-in" an idea about your competition. One thing to remember is to not make anything up about the competition. A bear trap causes your competition to sell from their heels instead of a straight-up sales process. In essence, you are making your counterparts in sales work harder defending themselves than be able to sell their products or service. You create doubt about talents, skills, capabilities, and acheivements. 

Bear Traps in sales to your advantage

When you build out the conversations you are going to have there are some elements to them. These are not long drawn out explanations to your potential client they are just quick jabs against them. 

• The structure is 3-5 sentences – not too much
• Your interaction should be really calm friend voice / late night dj voice
• When you talk it can be off the cuff – mmmhh / dry sense of humor
• The whole process is a throw away conversation – you cant be too into it
• They may not respond until later – they may come back and ask about your question. If it doesn’t land, let it go
• This is after you have built rapport / not through the door

Start once you have rapport

Salespeople blow this all of the time, they try too hard through the door. When you use a process like this, you have to be in the know, like and trust stage. The buyer doesnt have to trust you just yet. In some instances you may have to say some brazen things, this is why you need rapport

How to build your Bear Trap in sales: Start with a common complaint

You can start once they have a complaint with salespeople, the products and service or something else. If you tell the person without permission it is not as powerful. You start off with stating:

• I bet you want to know why that is… (stop talking)
• I can share with you why, but I cant sugar coat it for you
• You would be surprised at how often companies hire for that reason

Start with their question

Once you have the permission of the buyer you will take what their complaint is an put a negative spin on it.

• Give the weaknesses the competition has and explains it
• Give the weakness of a product, service, and or salespeople
• I will give you the real answer if you want (stop talking)

Use persuasive language

• This is because of…
• The reason why they do this is
• The reason why you may not like it is

Examples:

Buyer: I can't stand these pushy salespeople …..

You: that’s why I don’t work for those types of companies… they have management bearing down on them to close right now…  in fact, you should call them, they would love to have you sit with them for 3 hours and go back and forth with the “manager” to close the deal. I am sure they would like to eat up your afternoon.

 

Why Bear Traps in sales work

Most of the time salespeople go overboard and try to over sell. When you combine the use of common complaints and a well time "jab" at what others do it helps shift the view of the buyer. Your "Reason why" for the buyer becomes their "Reason why" and they don't see it until they give the other sales guy their objection. 

 

What is a bear trap in sales?

If you want to know what a bear trap is in sales you need to know what the weaknesses are in your industry. The way you use these bear traps comes down to a "reason why" scenario. As you get used to your service, industry and your presentation you will find the conversations to have. If you want to learn how to use bear traps in sales you will want to create more topics to have discussions about. 

HTSS151 - Closing sales takes creativity - Scott Sylvan Bell

Your ability to close sales takes creativity

Closing deals is all about creativity. You do have a base form of a sales process that you use. No two sales presentations play out the same exact way. Some of creativity in the sales process is 80/20 math. Some of the creative processes works in some instances but not in others. 

What is a play or gambit in sales?

When you look at your sales process you have a playbook. Each play you run has consequences that you have to deal with. Another way to explain a play is a "gambit". Whatever term you use you are still running a play. What you need to know is your buyer or buyers have playbooks and plays as well. You do need some flexibility to make your creativity to work. The best salespeople use base routines + creativity for their sucesss. 

What is creativity in the closing process?

Creativity is 2 ideas or more combined with some content left behind. When you take 2 winning ideas or a winning idea and a losing idea to be modified. When you meet with your buyers you are combining ideas and thoughts. Your creativity is needed to work through these thoughts. 

Why you should watch other sales presentations

Working with other salespeople and watching their sales presentations you can pick up new plays. Some of these new word tracks or sayings can work right off the bat for you. Some of these ideas will need to be massaged and modified in order to make them work.

The inverted bell curve of creativity  

Too much creativity will look sloppy to your buyers, it will seem like you are all over the place. Very few salespeople cant pull off flying by the seat of their pants. When you think through the sales process there are items you know from:

• Roleplay – Have friends from different industries to work with and role play with. 
• Reading content – books on sales, negotiation, decision making and… conflict resolution
• Conversations – Your interaction between friends can be used as a way to grab ideas. You can listen in at coffee shops and see how people complain about their life and interactions. 

The unknown in sales can't always be found 

There is a point where you hit the unknown and have to figure it out. As you build out your Sales Playbook you have the ability to combine more ideas. You cant prepare for everything… it's not possible. You would be in training forever and it wouldn’t feel right when you rolled it out. This is why you have to be good at:

• Being patient
• Being calm
• Asking questions
• Listening 
• Reframes 
• Looking for ways to finance the deal (cash, credit, financing, trade and or barter)

Keys to creative sales process :

Creativity can be in the:

• Terms
• Financing
• Deal structure
• People involved
• Asks after the sale

 Look for word tracks, ties downs and even phrases in sales 

Most of the reframes you need will come from conditional statements. You will target a few words: 

• If 
• How 
• When 

As you take these words to be focused on you end up with the early beginnings of word tracks you can use. Here are a few base word tracks to be more creative in your sales process:

• “If we can do this, can we do that”
• "If I can do that, then what"
• “How about this”
• “Why don’t we do this”
• “Give me an idea of what you think about this idea”