In This Issue

1. Subscribe
2. Time Management
3. Book Announcement

Get your own free copy!

Subscribe today!

If someone forwarded this issue to you, we invite you to subscribe today. To subscribe, click on the link above.

Time Management Tip

Plan your day and stick to it.

Most of our failures to be productive, come from our inability to stick to a plan of action.  The most common flaw is the fact that most sales people do not plan their day properly.  When you are making a list of the appointments and things you have to do the next day, make sure you estimate how long each one will take. 

It is easy to make a list of ten things, but if each one of them takes an hour, you will be working overtime!  Plus, there will be interruptions that will add up to your day.  At the end, one of two things will happen.  You exhaust yourself by working too many hours, or you fail to complete the most important things.  Either way you lose. 

So take the time to plan you day carefully in 15 minute increments.  This may seem strict, but the more you use it, the better you get.  And be strict with those that want to interrupt you.  Say "I am in the middle of something right now, but I do have some time later today.  Can you please come back then."  Use the grid below to make the most of your time.

Click here to download a free time grid to plan and account for your work week!

The Ultimate Guide to Success in Media Sales!

Mediasalessuccess.com will be publishing the new edition of "The Ultimate Guide to Success in Media Sales."

The release of the book is scheduled for June 1, 2009

Stay tuned for more details and the seminar tour coming to a city near you following the book release.

Buying Signals

When meeting with clients, one of the biggest challenges is deciding when they may be ready for you to move into a closing sequence.  The traditional selling sequence teaches us to: establish rapport and credibility, ask questions, present your product, answer objections and then move to a close.

However, very rarely do we have a "text book" meeting with a client.  The reality is that we tend to lose control of the situation because of distractions on the part of the client, tangent conversations, and insecurity on our part and inability to stick to the selling sequence.  However, this does not mean that we cannot close a sale.

Many times, in spite of the sequence falling apart, the client gives you clues that they want to buy. You just have to listen for the buying signals. Direct questions that challenge your product and your request for business, are sometimes the most difficult to answer. However if you are able to clearly define why they will be making a wise decision investing in your products, the sale is made.  To do this, you must know what they have done in the past, what they are doing now, and how your product is different that what they are currently doing.

So listen and observe for buying signals.  If you have the right answers, you get the sale.

Read More

Back to top

Be smart, Be yourself

There more I study sales and motivation, the more convinced I am that you need more and better skills if you want to stand out.  There is so much to learn.  Some many tips, techniques, close, etc.  They all help.

However, with so much information, you can get caught up in becoming someone else.  Don't get confused.  The tips, techniques and closes that you learn are intended to be personalized and become part of you.  Not the other way around.  You do not need to become someone else because you have learned all of these techniques.  You need to be yourself.  Learn, modify and apply as many tips and techniques as you can and you will continue to increase your sales. 
 

But most importantly, Be smart.  Be yourself, and more sales will come.

Read More

Back to top

Make sure you are talking to the real decision maker...

It amazes me how often sales people call on prospects that are not the real decision makers. I know it is exciting to get "in" with a client, but be true to yourself and determine if this is the right person that you should be talking to.

There are several ways to do this.  The simplest, yet most difficult, is to directly ask the prospect: "In a decision like this, do you have to get approval from others or do you make the final decision?"  This is a difficult question to ask because you do not want to offend or undermine the prospect's authority.  In many cases they will even lie to you and say they decide by themselves.  However, it is better to go straight to the point and get a decisive answer so you know where you stand. 

Over the years I have seen so many cases where a salesperson is hopeful that the prospect will have a decision, only to be notified that "they" (a third party) decided not to go ahead with the offering.

Don't waste your time presenting and following up with people that cannot say yes.  be clear who is the final decision maker.  This exercise alone will increase your sales dramatically.

Don't be afraid, just ask.

Read More

Back to top

MediaSalesSuccess.com
10807 Lasso Lane
Houston, TX 77079
Phone: 832-202-6085