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Brian Tracy's "How to OUTSELL your competition -- in any market!"

An excerpt from Brian Tracy's The Art of Closing The Sale:

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Nine Objections You Must Answer:

1. Unspoken Objections

The first type of objection you will get is an unspoken objection. The customer has concerns with your offering but doesn't tell you anything. He or she nods and listens to you, but you get no feedback to tell you where you are or how you are doing.

The solution to unspoken objections is to let the prospect talk more. Ask open-ended questions, lean forward, and listen intently to the answers. The more a prospect has an opportunity to answer your questions, the more likely it is that she will tell you exactly what might be holding her back from buying.

2. Excuses, Excuses

The second form of objections is excuses. These are usually instinctive reactions to any sales approach.

"We already have all we need."

"We are really not interested at the moment."

These are just excuses. They are really not serious. The best salespeople nod, smile, agree, and then ask a question to take control of the conversation. The very best way to handle any initial sales resistance, including excuses and impulse is with these words: "That's all right.

Most people in your situation felt the same way when I first called on them. But now they have become our best customers, and they recommend us to their friends." This response immediately shifts the focus of the conversation away from your product and onto other satisfied customers. It almost invariably triggers the response you want: "Oh really, What is it, then?"

3. Malicious Objections

Then there are the malicious objections. Because you call on many different people, you will occasionally call on individuals who are unhappy or angry about their current situations. Since they cannot shout at their bosses or spouses, they take it out on the friendly salesperson.

These people tend to be negative in their demeanor and behavior. They criticize your product or compare it unfavorably to those of your competitors. They sometimes imply that you charge too much or that your product is not pf particularly good quality.

The way to deal with malicious objections is to realize that you are not the target. The person you are talking to has problems of his own that have nothing to do with you. You are just caught in the emotional crossfire between him and other factors in his life. You job, as a professional, is to remain calm, confident, positive, and polite throughout. Very often this behavior on your part will soften the negativity of the prospect and eventually encourage him to open up to you.

4. Requests for Information

The fourth most common objection is a request for information. This is the best type of objection for you to hear, because you know how to answer this as well or better than any other part of your presentation. Whenever a prospect asks for information about the results or benefits she will get from your product or service and how she can get them, you are moving into excellent field position to make a sale.

Use all your objection-handling skills. Welcome the objection. Compliment the person for asking the question. Thank her for bringing it up. And then answer it completely, ending with, "Does that answer your question?"

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5. Show- Off Objections

Another type of objection is the show-off objection. Sometimes prospects try to show you how much they already know about your product or service. They make sophisticated observations or ask you complex questions about your product, service, or industry.

When this happens, respond by taking the low road. Show how impressed you are by how much the prospect already knows. Dominate the listening and let the prospect dominate the talking. Be conciliatory and polite. Remember, when you make a prospect feel important by listening to him with rapt attention, he is much more likely to warm up to buy from you.

6. Subjective Objections

The sixth most common type of objections are subjective or personal objections. These objections are aimed at you as a person. Prospects say things such as, "You look like you are doing pretty well in this business." Ort "You seem to be making a lot of money selling this product."

Whenever a person becomes critical of you, it could be a sign that you are talking too much about yourself. The prospect is attempting to bring you down a little bit by criticizing your appearance or behavior.

When you find yourself talking too much about your company, your product or service, or your personal life, stop and ask a question. Start talking about the customer rather than yourself. Ask questions about what the customer wants and needs. Make the customer the center of attention, and the subjective objections will stop.

7. Objective Objections

You may also hear the objective or factual objection. These are directed at your product offering and the claims that you make in terms of what it will do for the customer. The prospect may say, "I don't think that it will do the job that we require." Or "It looks good, but it's not satisfactory for our needs."

If you can answer an objective objection, you can often get the sale. The very best way to do this is to provide testimonials an other proof that make it clear that your product will do what you say it will. Assure the prospect that she will get the benefits that you promise and you have just made it easier for her to buy from you.

8. General Sales Resistance

The eighth most common form of objection is what we have called general sales resistance. This always occurs at the beginning of a presentation. Until you neutralize the general sales resistance, the customer will be listening to you with a closed mind.

Lower initial sales resistance by using the approach close. Say, "Mr. Prospect, thank you very much for your time. Please relax. I'm not going to try to sell you anything today. All I want to do is ask you some questions and see if there is some way that my company can help you achieve your goals in a cost-effective way. Would that be all right?"

When the prospect relaxes and gives you permission to ask him questions, you immediately begin your preselected open-ended questions to qualify the prospect and find out what he really needs that you can provide for him.

9. Last-Ditch

The final most-common objection is called the last-ditch objection. You have make your presentation, and the prospect clearly sees how she would be better off with your product or service. She knows and understands what you are selling and how much you are asking. She is on the verge of making a buying decision, but she still hesitates.

"How do I know I'm getting my money's worth?" she might say. Or "Are you sure this is the best deal I can get?" Listen with respect; then assure the prospect that yours is an excellent product or service, at a good price, and that everyone else who is using it today is very happy with their decision.

You have then overcome the last-ditch objection.

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Experience Only Please

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Experience Only Please
By Joe Kiedinger

Last week I wrote about media account executives avoiding the big budget question early on when establishing a relationship with a new prospect. Today, the focus is on management in all kinds of companies that fear giving rookies challenging tasks. I see it all the time in media. This trend of the "new business" salesperson sets up failure of potentially great salespeople.

When I started in TV, there were no "new business" associates. Everyone was expected to bring in new biz, but you were also given a list of clients who ranged from small accounts to at least one large account and everything in between. What happened to that paradigm? Today's successful media salespeople were the new guys and gals who learned how to serve clients and get results because they had the more complicated accounts handed to them to learn from.

Management provided training and then forced new associates to put their training immediately into practice. How about your company? Every business has projects and/or clients that can help grow a new associate. Do you challenge your new employees by giving them legitimate responsibility and not just sending them to the streets to be devoured?

It sounds harsh, but profitable associates are those who are given real responsibilities and real guidance in accomplishing the task at hand, because those associates learn how to become real contributors to the cause. Too many managers feel the answer to increasing sales is to hire more "new business" professionals. These associates are generally under the age of 25 and have little to no experience handling accounts. If a person has never sipped the soup, how can they recommend it?

It's a harsh reality that is slowing companies down and demoralizing the American work place. Every talented person needs to know they have a place on the bus and they need to feel that they are contributing to something great. Let's get back to the basics and increase employee morale and company profits!

Joe Kiedinger is Brander in Chief of Prophit Marketing, a unique and vision-driven marketing organization that helps small to medium-sized business succeed by adhereing to the Prophit Marketing System. The Prophit Marketing System is a process based approach that combines corporate culture with strategy and finally advertising. The emphasis starts with leadership and flows from there. Joe's message has been heard by many through his unique Prophit Marketing Road Show, an entertaining informative presentation that leaves audiences with an action plan for success. Joe also authors Wisdom on Wednesday, a weekly email newlsetter which will enlighten and challenge you to get the most out of your marketing efforts. Visit http://ProphitMarketing.com/ to learn more about the Prophit Marketing system or http://WisdomonWednesday.com/ to subscibe to Joe's weekly email newsletter.

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4 Steps to Realizing Your Sales Potential

4 Steps to Realizing Your Sales Potential
By Daniel Sitter

"Here's an interesting thing about potential. It gives us the capacity to become, well, larger than ourselves" says Robert Hruzek at his Middle Zone Musings blog. He continues "Like a shadow on a wall, our own potential is, well, much bigger than we are. But here's the thing... until it's unleashed and realized, it's still just a shadow: two-dimensional and insubstantial." Exactly! So the question becomes; how do we unleash our potential?

Our potential for what? We have potential in many areas such as earnings, sales, profits, family harmony, work/life balance, contribution to society, literary, creativity, physical, spiritual, emotional and so on. Granted, many of these areas overlap, creating a synergy that can energize us once a trigger is released.

Malcolm Gladwell introduced us to the concept of the Tipping Point several years ago, crystallizing in our minds the point at which an idea transforms from being obscure to becoming mainstream. Growth from that point becomes rapid and exponential! Everything that happens prior to the Tipping Point is merely preparation for what is yet to come.

I believe that the trigger for unleashing our potential is a Tipping Point, one that is arrived at by invoking the cliched expression "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore." It is the point at which we realize that we must begin to live and act differently if we intend to realize our dreams. It is at this point that we push the self-imposed limitations of our comfort zone and see in our mind's-eye our true potential. At that instant, we have drawn a line in the sand and stepped over it. Armed now with energized self-belief and vision, we simply need a solid plan and plenty of action.

Our sales potential is limitless. There is an endless supply of prospects who need your products and services. There are many opportunities to share our vision and convince others to our point of view. Decide now to change your circumstances. Your obstacles are in-part, self imposed, usually stemming from a lack of confidence and an effective plan. Expanding your comfort zone means taking charge of your life in a much bigger way! Once stretched, your comfort zone will never revert to its original shape.

Look in the mirror. See your potential, even if it has previously eluded you. Here are four steps to realizing your sales potential:

1. Decide to grow beyond your current comfort zone.

2. Make your plan.

3. Take action.

4. Persist until you win!

It is not complicated. It will be uncomfortable for awhile, yet soon you will realize that your dreams are valid and you are worthy of achieving them. From there, it is simply a matter of time.

Daniel Sitter, author of both Learning For Profit and Superior Selling Skills Mastery, has garnered extensive experience in sales, training, marketing and personal development over a successful twenty-five year career.
Read his blog http://www.idea-sellers.com/

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How You Can Benefit From Sales Training

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How You Can Benefit From Sales Training
By Jeff Stripp

Sales training courses are important tools that will help your company meet its sales goals. Whether you have new hires that need to learn the ropes or existing employees that can use a refresher, these courses are an effective tool in your company's arsenal.

Sales training courses can be adapted to your company's overall needs. You can focus a course on dealing with customers or clients. These lessons are very useful for new employees, especially if they have never worked in your industry before. Simple and proven methods of handling customers and clients can easily translate into higher sales.

Other sales training courses include how to up-sell products or services. Up-selling is an incredibly important way to increase overall revenue almost painlessly. The customer or client is already prepared to make a purchase and the opportunity is there to work with them. Add-on sales courses are also very useful for many different sectors. These are very useful for employees who work on a commission based basis.

Even managers and high level CEO's can benefit from taking part in a sales training course. It is important to keep in touch with the latest techniques and trends so that you don't loose track of your company's goals. Going through the same classes as your employees can help increase moral and give you more insight into what your employees are going through.

If you don't have the time or resources to develop your own sales training course, it is a good idea to contact a professional that specializes in creating custom packages. They can work with you to create training materials that are specific to your particular company and industry. These materials can be very useful if you need to educate an entire group of new hires or if you need to bring a new employee up to speed quickly.

Basic sales training courses are also available that are specialized for a particular industry. These tend to be more general in nature but they are still very effective in helping employees understand the basics. Look for classes that offers a few different levels of skill education to keep it interesting and useful for employees who have been with your company for some time.

Once you begin implementing these ideas in your company, it is a good idea to require a refresher class every twelve to eighteen months. This can help your employees can stay on top of new sales techniques and trends. They can also revisit areas that they may have missed the first time around.

The expense of creating a sales training course for your company or purchasing a standard class package will be offset by the education your employees receive and the benefits of increased sales and more satisfied customers.

Insight Bridge, the most complete online self growth website connects you to success secrets, self-growth lessons, goal setting techniques, personal improvement resources and self help advice to support your life goals and fulfill your dreams.

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Working Smarter, Not Harder To Achieve More Sales

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Working Smarter, Not Harder To Achieve More Sales
By J Timothy Clark

Years ago, I learned that you can accomplish more by working smarter and not harder. If you are in sales those are really your only two options. You can either work smarter, or you can work harder. The focus of the next few paragraphs is to show you how you can work smarter and increase your sales. In order to discover how to work smarter, you must first look at how someone in sales would work harder.

In a typical sales office the seasoned veteran sales manager looks at the sales team and will proclaim that the activity of the team is not where it should be, and that because the sales team is not trying working as hard as they can, there is going to be more door knocking and cold calling phone marathons. And instead of knocking on twenty doors a day the sales person must now knock on fifty doors a day. Instead of fifty cold calls a day, the sales person must now make 100 or 150. I have found that this is completely counterproductive to fostering the sales process.

I have never seen the logic in doing something that will eat up my time and produce little if any results. Cold calling will leave you out in the cold. Instead of cold calling I put my brain to work. I develop ways of getting the word out so that I don't have to cold call. One of the ways that I do this is by placing a sign in new customer's yard. I used to go to appointments and see where people had pest control done, new pools installed, or their house painted, and there would be a sign in the front yard proclaiming the name of the business that was just completed. I thought, "I can do that." So I did. After I would make a sale, I would ask the new client if I could put up a sign in their yard. I never had anyone turn me down, and I got free advertising to go along with the sale.

Another method I use is public speaking. Since my market is insuring the uninsurable, then I make contact with numerous clubs and organizations and ask if they would let me be one of their public speakers at one of their meetings. It works out well. I usually get the person that organizes the meeting to call and schedule the date. When I arrive I am warmly greeted. Usually these are dinner meetings so I am fed, and then I get an attentive audience to talk about the worlds of health and life insurance and indirectly pitch myself to them. This is by far my favorite way to attract new customers. By the way, this one is free also.

The last method that I will share is the brochure. A brochure is a great tool. I pass out brochures everywhere. Most people will give business cards to each other; I give out brochures. In the brochure is a brief synopsis of what I do and the services that I offer. It also has my contact information and my website address. This one costs a little, but if you get great quality paper that will not let the printer's ink bleed through, then you can usually cut the costs on this idea.

In 2006 I produced over $6 million in annualized premium. I did not cold call to get any sale. I used my brain to work smarter not harder. You, too, can do this.

J. Timothy Clark is the founder of the Clark Insurance Agency in Orlando, Florida.

He is married to a beautiful wife, has twin sons and a brand new daughter.

You can reach him directly at 407-443-8523, by email at jtimothyclark@cfl.rr.com, or you may check out his website at http://www.clarkinsurancebrokers.com

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Making a Sale - How Not to Sell Yourself Short

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Making a Sale - How Not to Sell Yourself Short
By Jennifer Jordan

For many people, selling is an everyday task. There are those who sell stocks to Wall Street hopefuls, those who sell gadgets door to door, those who sell wine to connoisseurs, those who sell art to collectors, and those who sell computers to the technologically inclined. This prevalence of "wheeling and dealing" in so many careers makes one thing obvious: the art of selling is of the utmost importance.

There is really nothing that will destroy the salesman's career faster than a salesman who can't sell. But, the art of selling is not only knowing how to make a sale, it's also knowing how not to make a sale. The following is a list of actions and inactions that will ultimately leave the salesman frustrated and Arthur Miller eating his heart out.

Looking at Your Watch: Sure, salespeople are busy but, guess what, so is the average person. Nothing will lose a customer quicker than conveying the message that you don't really want to make a sale or that you have bigger fish to fry. Checking your watch - and making it known that you have somewhere else you need to be- will make the customer or client feel unimportant. If they think you don't care much about their business, then they won't care much about giving you it.

Talking on Your Cell Phone: The cousin of "checking your watch," talking on your cell phone conveys an equally rude message and causes the potential buyer to wonder how invested you are in making a sale. Even doing something as minor as checking your messages or checking your caller ID can leave the customer frustrated by your lack of focus on them. Take away the temptation, and turn your cell phone off altogether.

Talking Over Someone: As a salesperson, it may seem as though it is your job to tell people what they want to hear. This may work for some, but keep in mind that many people aren't gullible: they will see right through your routine. Instead of being told what they want, they simply want to be the ones who do the telling. For this reason, it's important to not interrupt clients - this will only frustrate them and lead them to believe you aren't listening. It's also important not to condescend or patronize: you want to appear that you know it all, without seeming like a know-it-all.

Acting like Someone is Invisible: Ignoring a potential customer will, that's right, leave you ignoring a potential sale. More often than not, ignoring someone happens because of assumptions we make, assumptions that are rarely right. The elderly couple looking at snowboards might not be people you think will buy, but they might be searching for a gift for their grandson. No matter what you do, don't assume, unless you want to assume your way into no commission.

Selling can be hard, but knowing what not to do can make it easier. This knowledge can also help your potential customers be more agreeable, while making sure the only thing you don't sell is yourself short.

Jennifer Jordan is an editor and staff writer for http://www.verbaladvantage.com. An English major and professional writer, she spends her days correcting grammar and wondering why she's unpopular.

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Find Out What They Want

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Find Out What They Want
By Mike Michelozzi

I have no lists, no rules, no ten steps to the sales success you wan. Why be like everyone else? There's enough of everyone else to go around. Anyway, you want sales success and you've studied it all and still no success. At least not much. So what's the deal?

Be different. You want to be in that envied 3% who achieve world class success right! AND you've read all the gurus telling you what to do and still - you bottom out. Step out!

For the next week and the week after that only do three hours of cold calling Monday - Friday. Or your one hour. Or your five hours. Whatever it is you do to prospect for how many hours you do it ear to ear or face to face. Do it. BUT do it like this.

In a one minute sales call identify yourself, say what you have, be clear and identify a couple of features. Also ask if the prospect wants it or not. That's it. Take the YES or NO for what it is - go with it.

If it's a NO say bye and hang up. If it's a YES find out exactly what the person wants to make sure you can deliver. Also, find out if you can trust that person's commitment. Ask good questions.

See what happens. Simple? Yes! Too simplified? Yes! But you said nothing else has worked. So why not? No closing, no convincing, no overcoming objections - just identify a YES and if it's genuine help that person get it.

Find out what people want by asking: is this something you want or not?

The best to you.

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Can Your Business Afford Not To Train Your Staff?

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Can Your Business Afford Not To Train Your Staff?
By Bryant Nielson

Imagine if you only learned after making all your mistakes. It is doubtful that your customers would accept nor appreciate the inconsistent work, and chances are they would probably not return. Professionals know that customer retention is key in satisfying and growing your business.

Training staff has consistently been shown to pay-off for businesses and customers alike and rewards come to those who stay current in the industry through training. When your customers talk to their friends, family, and co-workers, what do you want them to say about your business? About your products? About your staff?

Cheesecake Factory Training excerpt:

"The firm spends an average of $2,000 on training per hourly worker each year. Everyone within the organization benefits from training and development initiatives. Servers get two weeks of on-the-job training. Candidates vying for a managerial position receive 12-week development courses. Even dishwashers are included in training initiatives.One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turn­over rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent. Workforce development programs also contribute to high consumer satisfaction rates, loyalty and repeat visits.

Much of the company's training efforts, as one might expect, center on its serving staff. "Servers are on the front line. They are our public face," Wensing says. Servers are a key component in the "Cheesecake Factory experience"-the hassle-free, friendly and fun dining that Oscar and Evelyn Overton envisioned. And since servers make up 40 percent of the total workforce, the company takes their training seriously."

What is amazing about this excerpt is indicative of the value that high-end companies place on training. When was the last time you heard about dishwashers getting training? How about wait staff having two solid weeks of training? As for their management training, it is ongoing and extensive.

What does this translate into? A great customer experience. Lower turnover. Happier employees. Most importantly, is higher revenue. Hard to argue with a successful business model.

You need to be asking, "How Can Employee Training Impact My Business?"

No matter what your role is in the business, mortgage or real estate industry, your business can benefit from proper training. Advanced and "continuous" training provides professional distinction in any highly competitive industry. The many benefits of training include:

Higher quality of work

Reduced amount of re-work

Improved cycle time and processing turn-times

Increased profit

Increased volume

Improved relations with other industry professionals

Improved image with in your industry, or the real estate and mortgage industry.

All of these benefits not only increase customer satisfaction, but improve employee relations as well. Working for a company that values and invests in skills, knowledge, and growth helps employees realize their value and increases their confidence on the job. It also energies staff and greatly reduces employee turn-over.

Copyright 2007 Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved.

Bryant Nielson - Managing Director and National Sales Trainer - assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations.Bryant's 27 year business career has been based on his results-oriented style of empowering.

Subscribe to his monthly ezine - Lengthen Your Stride! (tm) - and learn the legendary secrets of top business achievers at: http://www.BryantNielson.com

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Top 10 Training Mistakes

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Top 10 Training Mistakes
By Bryant Nielson

Being tasked with building or managing a training organization is a larger-than-life responsibility. Mistakes will happen - but here are the ten most common training mistakes and how to avoid them.

Building and managing a training department is a difficult task. Mistakes can be made in many areas of training and development, but there are some common mistakes that you and your staff can avoid. Here are the top ten training mistakes - from development and delivery to funding.

One: Setting up the expectation that each training participant will end up with exactly the same knowledge. Adults learn in different ways and focus on different material. When that happens, Participant #1 may have a different knowledge base than Participant #2 when the training is complete. To avoid this problem, provide your students a general outline of what's covered in training and what they are expected to learn.

Two: A lack of examples that illustrate the points. It's necessary to show people how to learn by giving them examples during training. The examples must be pertinent to the material and should stay in the mind of the learner. If this is left out, trainees may have knowledge but may not be able to function in the actual environment. Evaluate your training programs for real-life, pertinent examples.

Three: Lack of knowledge about the audience and their experience. Take the time to find out who the target audience is, what they may already know, and how experienced they are. Take a pre-program survey or visit the field, but do something to get to know them - before training is delivered.

Four: A trainer fails to prepare for a regular presentation. It's easy to become complacent, especially for trainers who deliver the same courses on a regular basis. Make sure the trainers are taking adequate time to review their material and run through their presentations - every time. When this happens, delivery will be fresh and full of new ideas, examples, and energy.

Five: A trainer tells an audience it's his or her first time to deliver a certain course. This can be a fatal, although totally honest, mistake in regard to credibility. Trainers should appear to be the expert - even if they don't feel like it.

Six: A trainer turns questions over to an in-class Subject Matter Expert (SME). If your stakeholders and SME's observe training, make sure that trainers do not turn in-class questions over to the Expert. Have trainers keep a "parking lot" list of questions, find the answers, and report back to the audience. This way, your trainer maintains credibility.

Seven: Developing training courses without a front-end analysis. You may get requests from managers for training in certain areas. Don't build training until you find out what the people in the jobs are doing, what they're not doing, or what they're going to be expected to do in the future. Take a survey, visit the field, and interview line workers - but find out what's really happening out on the job BEFORE development begins.

Eight: Pulling trainers from the front line without preparing them first. Many of the best trainers come from the front line. But don't place a new trainer in a classroom without giving them preparation in learning styles, training methods, and presentation skills. Put together an "orientation" for a new trainer, have them observe a more seasoned trainer, and then you can observe and oversee the new trainer in the classroom.

Nine: Building a bigger organization than necessary. Don't build an organization that suits an industry trend - build one that suits your audience. A "corporate university" may intimidate the employees of a small company. On the other side, a large company may feel there is not sufficient ROI if the training department delivers only a few courses. Again, obtaining an intimate knowledge of your audience and management's expectation is the key.

Ten: Forgetting to get buy-in from the person who controls the money - the stakeholder. In some organizations, CFO's sometimes spend money on a training department and facilities without being asked an opinion. If this is your case, go to the money person and explain what you intend to do - and what the financial impacts may be. Get the stakeholder on your side - even if he or she is already signing checks. If budget money becomes tight, training programs are sometimes the first to be cut, unless you've taken the time to explain how training is a positive investment.

When you're aware of these mistakes and how to avoid them, your training program and department will be ten steps closer to success.

Copyright 2008 Bryant Nielson.

Bryant Nielson - Managing Director and National Sales Trainer - assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations.Bryant's 27 year business career has been based on his results-oriented style of empowering.

Subscribe to his monthly ezine - Lengthen Your Stride! (tm) - and learn the legendary secrets of top business achievers at: http://www.BryantNielson.com

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Top 5 Sales Commandments

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Top 5 Sales Commandments
By Bryant Nielson

Maintain high sales numbers and satisfy your customer's needs at the same time by using these Top 5 Sales Commandments.

There are many rules of thumb to follow in any sales process. As a salesperson, your ultimate goal is to maintain high numbers while satisfying your customer's needs. There are five simple sales commandments that will help you do both - in every sale.

One: Sell Relationships. There is no such thing as a single sale. Businesses have come to depend on repeat customers and word of mouth. So instead of selling a product, sell a relationship and trust. Let the customer know that you will be there the next time they have a need, and explain why your range of products can help them in the future. Your customer will come back - and they will tell others.

Two: Sell value through benefits. At times it's easy to lapse into a list of features for any product or service. It's important to know the benefit of each product feature and communicate that to your customer. Put yourself in your customer's shoes: do you really want to know the details of the feature? Customers want to know what's in it for them, so set your presentation toward that goal. Show the customer how they'll benefit from using your product or service - draw a mental picture of what they'll look like, feel like, or be able to do once they purchase it.

Three: Sell to emotion. People buy products and services for emotional reasons. One of the most well known direct sales letters asked a life insurance prospect who was going to fill his shoes if he was no longer around. Who would take care of his children? Would his family be able to stay in their home and pay their bills if he passed away suddenly? Think about your customer's emotions and sell in a way that taps into them. If you're selling a high-end sports car, you're not selling the double-wishbone suspension system - you're selling the exhilaration of cornering at 120 miles per hour.

Four: Be subtle. People buy for emotional reasons but still do not like to be "sold", what they what to do it "buy". You can sell using benefits and emotions, but if your prospect gets one whiff of a "sales pitch" or a hard sell, he or she is going to run. So be subtle - use the benefits and emotions carefully. Talk to your prospect as if you're friends having lunch or having a beer. Use everyday language but continue to show your prospect the benefits. Be personal - but maintain the subtlety.

Five: Justify a sale with rationale. Your customers will buy based on benefit and emotion. But to avoid buyer's remorse, strengthen the sale with a rationale. If you were selling a health supplement, you could recap all the benefits and then put the financial details of the sale on different terms, such as "... for less than $1 a day you can have increased stamina and better digestion". The insurance sales letter mentioned earlier used the daily price for peace of mind as the rationale for buying the policy. Whatever you do, make sure your customer feels like they've made a rational, beneficial choice.

Remember these five commandments as you're embarking on your next sales presentation. You customer will buy based on benefits, emotions, and rationale -and he or she will come back each time there's a need.

Copyright 2008 Bryant Nielson.

Bryant Nielson - Managing Director and National Sales Trainer - assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations.Bryant's 27 year business career has been based on his results-oriented style of empowering.

Subscribe to his monthly ezine - Lengthen Your Stride! (tm) - and learn the legendary secrets of top business achievers at: http://www.BryantNielson.com

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