Closing the Deal

1. Making the most of your Meet the Buyer appointments Seamus McAdams i2 TOTAL MARKETING Closing the Deal #DCCBOP @DCCBOP www.twitter.com/DCCBOP

2. What is Selling? Your Sales Presentation – creating a positive impression with buyers Closing the Meeting & Following Up Areas to be covered

3. Pre arranged, private meetings Meetings last for 15 minutes only, Move on to your next appointment. So, Focus, punctuality and precision is the key! Event Format

4. To make Buyers better aware of your work. To develop new business relationships. To increase your sales. Purpose of the Day

5. Understanding what customers are trying to do + Helping them to make buying decisions they consider sensible What is Selling?

6. Unawareness  Awareness  Interest  Active Interest  Purchase The Buying Process

7. Listen to us Have your research done Know what you want to know Practice your questions Avoid “war stories” Follow up with any contact as discussed Try to be as quick as you can Meet the Buyer – What the buyers say!

8. What’s preventing you from winning sales with corporate / public sector?

9. Knowledge Skills Attitude Is your attitude in good shape? It’s all about:

10. What do you need to know? About the buyer (the actual end user as well as the buyer you meet today) The contracts out there and renewal dates Who is currently delivering them? How strong is the competition? What changes are taking place? Knowledge

11. You need to know how: To research the buyer, the competition and the market To be able to match suitable products and services to different markets The buying process works for each buyer Skills

12. You need to be: Positive Determined Self Motivated Able to get along with people Open minded & Flexible Confident Fearless Attitude

13. Effective Sales Presentations

14. Who am I going to meet? Get the buyer name and organisation right! 2. What message do I want to deliver? What products/services am I selling today? Are they relevant to the buyer? What Questions do I need answered What support material will I need? Prices? Remember - 20 minute meeting! 1. Preparing for the Sale

15. To inform them about my company. To introduce and gain feedback on products & services. To find out what/who is involved in the buying process. To find out what next stage is. To close the sale? Purpose of the Meeting - AGENDA?

16. By the end of the meeting, the buyer needs to know: Who You Are What You Do Why They Should Use You (benefits) What follow up to expect, if any

17. Personal Presentation – Well Groomed Manner – Relaxed, Confident Be organised – Visuals Aids/Samples/Prices Be clear and succinct Set the agenda Control the meeting with questions 2. Approach - First Impressions Count

18. Use active listening – listen twice as much as you speak! 2. Approach (contd)

19. Why? Knowing more about your customer than your competitor, will mean that everything you do will be better directed to meet the customer’s needs and result in a successful sale. 3. Identify Customer Needs

20. How? Do research on each buyer before the event. Visit their website to get a good idea of their customer needs. Read the Buyer Profile. Prepare questions in advance of meetings. Identify Customer Needs

21. During the meeting, probe with open ended questions i.e. ones that don’t require a yes/no answer. Who? What? Why? When? Where? How? Ask Open Ended Questions

22. Aim to make what you say Understandable Attractive Credible 4. The Persuasive Presentation

23. Think about explanations and descriptions - try them out. Make explanations thorough and precise, providing only appropriate level of detail Match the level of technicality to individual buyers’ knowledge and experience Avoid excessive use of jargon Make it Understandable

24. “People don’t buy products or services, but what they do for them” Explain the features - Sell the benefit Benefits must be matched to the individual needs of the customer Benefits must be clearly described and illustrated to add power to the case Sell the price (don’t defend the price) Make it Attractive

25. By Indicating: Who you supply, customer reference lists can inspire confidence. How long you have been in business. Where you trained/worked before. Awards you have won/special commissions. Why you think your product/service is suitable to the buyer Make it Credible

26. Use good, clean, presentable samples (no defects, scratches or fingerprints) Let the customer look at them uninterrupted. How you hold and present your product will speak volumes to the customer about how you feel about it. Only move on in the discussion when their attention returns to you. Remove the sales aid so that it does not distract. The Persuasive Presentation - Samples

27. When buyer is answering your questions: Demonstrate you are interested in what buyers say. Maintain eye contact, take notes. “Mirroring!!!” Think about what your customer is saying and what products/services you offer that are relevant to them. Active listening

28. Objections occur in every sales meeting Don’t be surprised, be prepared! 5. Handling Objections

29. Buyers use objections to: Consider both the positive and negative aspects of the offer Take a considered view Get you to talk about specifics (that are not necessarily part of the planned presentation) Clarify points not fully understood or adequately covered Assess you and what is being offered Handling Objections

30. Regard them as a sign of interest, an opportunity List previous objections and anticipate new ones Prepare clear, succinct and persuasive answers Don’t let objections deteriorate into arguments Handling Objections

31. Establish the real objection and clearly acknowledge it Deal with the objection immediately Answer the objection completely Check that the customer is satisfied with the answer Move on Handling Objections

32. Dealing with the Price Objection Know your product and why it is more or less expensive Know your competitor’s product and price and why it differs Focus on quality, performance and “enhanced” benefits of your product Sell “Value for Money” Handling Objections

33. Direct request -¨Shall we go ahead?’ ‘How much would you like?’ ‘When shall we start?’ Command - ‘Lets get this organised;’ ‘let me have written confirmation and I will put matters in hand’ Immediate gain - ‘If you give me the go ahead now, then I can have it up and running by the end of the month’ Fear close - ‘If you are not able to give me the go-ahead today, that deadline is really going to cause problems’ 6. Methods for Closing

34. Alternatives - ‘Would you like 10 or 20?’ ‘Do you want to schedule this for this month? Summary - ‘So, you are happy with twenty of these and twenty of those in different colours. When would you like them delivered? Assumption - ‘Right, we seem to be agreed. Let me get the documentation sorted and we can go on from there’ Methods for Closing

35. Always close and always do it confidently and positively

36. Do up a "lead card" which contains: the person's name, title, address, phone number, e-mail address (all these can come from a business card) needs/interests budget and timing Use this info for your follow-up Keep Good Records

37. FOLLOW UP RememberIt takes up to 14 separate contacts to secure an order.

38. Devote MORE time and effort following up your leads as you did for the MTB event. Generally the first contact should be in writing/email within the first week. Your letter/email should be an acknowledgement of your meeting and the subjects discussed Don't let your leads get cold!

39. Your prompt handling of requests for additional information will show potential clients you value their time and provide quality customer service.

40. Thank you for Listening Good Luck! Seamus McAdams i2 Total Marketing #DCCBOP @DCCBOP www.twitter.com/DCCBOP