Ko Sales Coach

Put Your Mind To It Ever heard someone say "You can do anything you put your mind to?" It's a common phrase and it's really true. So much of your success or failure comes down to what you put your mind to. How is your mindset? Is your inner voice supportive and encouraging or questioning and doubtful? On today's show discover: ...how self-limiting beliefs influence your behavior and your success; ...that many of them simply aren’t true; ... and that When you stop limiting your belief in yourself there's no limit to what you can accomplish. Self-Limiting Beliefs How could two salespeople, with the same skills, same amount of experience and opportunity have wildly different results?  What could cause such a disparity in sales performance? When a salesperson has doubt or self limiting beliefs it can undermine all of the training and knowledge they have resulting in poor performance. These self-limiting beliefs become a part of your inner dialog and you find yourself engaged in self talk like "I know she's not

Sales is Competitive Sales is, by its very nature, competitive. Some love to compete with others for the top spot on the leader-board and for many it's what drives them to be the best. However for others, competition can lead to comparisons and comparing yourself to someone else can be demotivating. On today's show discover: ...why comparing yourself to others can move you further away from your goals; ... some simple steps to take your focus off others; and how you can compete and win 100% of the time! Comparison is the Death of Joy Mark Twain said that "comparison is the death of joy" and believe it or not recent studies have backed that up. Spending time comparing yourself to others can: lower your self esteem, cause you to feel down, and even cause feelings of envy. Remember you can only control you, focusing on someone else is a waste of energy. Also, it's not always a fair comparison. Everyone has different experiences, strengths and weaknesses. You have no idea what kind of journey they're on, how

Increase Customer Engagement If you find customers saying things like “ok, can we get on with this?” or "look I don’t have all day". You may be spending too much time uncovering and talking about their needs. Read on to discover a simple way to Increase Customer Engagement. On today's show discover: Why spending too much time talking about customer needs can be aggravating for your customer; What customers really want to talk about; And how to keep your customers engaged and excited during the sale. Why Customers Become Disengaged This sort of goes against a lot of conventional wisdom which tells you to spend plenty of time understanding your customer’s needs. Now, don’t get me wrong, understanding your customer’s pain points is critically important but sometimes you can over due it. How do you know if you’re overdoing it? You get more customers asking you to “get on with it.” It’s a sure sign they feel  they’re being grilled and they don’t like talking about the subject matter. They’ve become disengaged an

Stay Focused on More Important Things On June 18th 1914, Lawrence Sperry demonstrated autopilot for the first time on an aircraft. He did it by flying past the crowd at an air show while holding both hands up above his head. Autopilot revolutionized flying and allowed pilots to focus on more important things like navigation and safety. Developing good habits let's you put parts of your sales process on auto-pilot and focus more of your energy on your customer. On today's show discover: Why top salespeople utilize their own version of an autopilot everyday (without even knowing it); How you can put it to work for you to sell more and stay focused on more important things. Do What Successful People Do “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, copy what they do and you'll achieve the same results.” - Tony Robbins Most of the people you look up to seem to make what they do look pretty easy, right? It’s like they’re on autopilot and in a way they are. Their success comes

Growth is a Choice Were you aware that the exact same thing that causes a lobster to grow and develop is what causes you and I to grow and develop? For lobsters growth isn’t an option but for you and me personal development is simply a choice. If you want to be further ahead next year than you are right now it’s a choice worth making. On today's show discover: ... that what triggers a lobster to grow is also a trigger for your personal development. ... how knowing what it is and embracing it can make you more successful than you ever imagined. I recently heard an interesting story by Dr. Abraham Twerski about how a Lobster grows.  As a native mainer, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I never gave the growth and development of a lobster very much consideration. You know a lobster is really just a squishy sea creature that lives in a hard-shell. The problem is that while the squishy lobster expands the hard shell doesn’t.   So as the lobster inside grows it begins to feel confined, it starts getting cramped a

It's Like a Roller Coaster Sales is more like a roller coaster ride than a cruise....there are good times that are REALLY good and then there are bad times that seem REALLY bad. When sales are up you give yourself credit for working hard and influencing your success but when things are bad it’s easy to feel a bit out of control. On today's show discover: ...how to adjust your thinking so a few small setbacks don’t turn into a bad day; ...and tips for managing your tough days and getting back on track. Bad days happen to the best of us and it can all start before you even get to the office. You wake up late, you’re out of milk, there’s grid-lock on the road or you can’t find your favorite shirt. It doesn’t take much to send us down the wrong track toward a bad day. Put it in Perspective Whatever gets your day off on the wrong foot, it’s important to put it in perspective. You know, now matter what is happening or how bad it may seem will it matter a year from now? Will you even remember this? Most of the ti

On November 19th 1863 people gathered in Gettysburg Pennsylvania for a dedication ceremony. The keynote speaker was a man named Edward Everett and he spoke for more than 2 hours. Abraham Lincoln who was also scheduled to speak, spoke for just two minutes. Even though Everett’s speech was longer, Lincoln's short 2 minute speech is now regarded as one of the most elegant, thoughtful and well-crafted speeches in American history. The Gettysburg Address certainly makes the case for brevity and the power of saying less. On today's show discover: ...how talking less can help you sell more ...and 4 Ways to train yourself to talk less with your next customer Do More When you’re in sales they always wants you to do more. Make more calls, learn more products, talk to more customers, close more deals. More, more, more. But there’s one thing you can do less of to close more deals and that’s talk. We covered the power of silence back in round 15 of the KO Sales Coach. Among other things we discussed how using silence a

It's What Happens in Sales Walk onto any car lot, into any specialty store or call center and you’ll hear conversations taking place. It’s what happens in sales. But having a good conversation and getting one started  is often easier said than done. On today's show discover: ...6 Tips for Getting a Conversation Started; ... how a good conversation can help your customer feel important; ... and what you can do through conversation to make your offer more interesting. What Makes a Conversation Good? We’ve all had conversations before and most (with friends and family) are pretty easy. But when it comes to customers or someone we’ve just met it can be hard to know where to start and what to say.  Before we dive into some tips for getting a conversation started let’s take a look at what it takes to have a good conversation. One thing that’s important in any conversation is that both people are involved. If you’re doing all the talking it’s more of a lecture than a conversation. A good conversation means there i

Maximize Down-Time in Sales It would be fantastic if customers came in one after the other and the phone rang the instant you hung-up? It sure would; and while there are times like that in sales there are also those times when things are slow. While some just wait out the slow times, others have found ways to use that time to be even better and more prepared for the next rush of customers. On today's show discover: ... ideas for making good use of down-time ... free resources you can take advantage of to be better when sales pick up! Down Time is a Fact of Life in Sales Downtime is a fact of life in sales. It’s an opportunity to hone your skills and stay sharp so you can make the most of those times when you do have customers. Here are 10 things you can do during down time to hone your skills and prepare to maximize your next opportunity. 9 Effective Ways to Maximize Down Time Review Advertising Read customer testimonials Listen to other salespeople Listen to yourself Review Product Information Practice yo

The Power of Rapport Fred’s at a party and across the room he sees the woman of his dreams. He makes his way over to her, looks her in the eye and says “hi I’m Fred, I have a masters degree in english literature, I can bench press 240 pounds and I love opera would you like to go get a cup of coffee?” Now as you may have guessed, Fred generally drinks his coffee alone. He’s got a lot to offer but he cuts to the chase too fast for most people. However, with a little coaching anyone, even Fred could be much more successful. On today's show discover: ... why getting right down to business is costing you sales ... and how spending a little more time at the beginning can make you more money in the end We’re all in a hurry We’re all trying to do more in less time and a popular misconception is that cutting corners helps you get more done. In reality, cutting corners can end up costing you more time and money. Now consider how this applies to the sales process. It’s easy to think that getting right down to business

When Less is More Despite what some may tell you more isn’t always better. Like adding more soap to your washing machine. The clothes won’t be any cleaner but you’ll have a BIG mess of bubbles to clean up.  To say less is more might seem like a contradiction, but what it really means is that less is more effective. In general it means “don’t overdo it.” On today's show discover: Prime times during the sales process when less is more! ...and why talking less...can mean more money for you! I remember being a new salesperson and thinking that the key to making great sales was to know a lot about the product and share all of it with my customers. Seemed like a logical approach...just pepper the customer with information until they give up. Well, I pretty quickly figured out that was a terrible plan. I just ended up talking customers right out the door and my sales numbers went with them! Overtime I came to realize that a more effective approach was to provide just the information necessary for them to make a go

Look at any great coach and you’ll find they spend most of their time coaching the players on the field, rather than the players on the bench. If you think about it from the coaches point of view why would you devote time to those who “aren’t in the game”?  The question is where are you? Are you in the game or on the bench? Are you you coachable? On today's show discover: ... how to be coachable ... why it’s critically important to your success; ... how to spend more time “in the game” Being coachable is something that transcends sports, business, and really is important to every aspect of your life. It's important because it means you’re open to new ideas, ready to listen, willing to take a hard look at your own performance and take advantage of the experience of others. It also means you’re enthusiastic, eager to learn, positive and constantly striving to be better. Quite frankly, you’re someone a coach WANTS to coach. Coaches can tell, believe me, it’s really easy to spot someone who’s coachable and just

We Like Compliments Just about everyone likes a compliment. It makes you feel good, builds up your confidence and can even make you feel smart. And what about the person who gave you the compliment? What do you think of them? (pretty awesome right?) Giving your customer a compliment and making them feel smart can help you build tremendous rapport! But you have to be careful that your compliments are sincere, appropriate and you’re not saying things that make your customer defensive. On today's show discover: ... tips for helping your customer feel smart ... ways you might be making them feel...not so smart ... and how all of this helps you look smarter too! How To Make Your Customer Feel Smart You’ve heard it before, people buy from people they know, like and trust and what better way to get someone to like you then by making them feel smart. Here are a few ways you can help your customer feel smart. Acknowledge the Smart Things They Say You know customers are pretty savvy these days and many of them have d

Handling Rejection in Sales Rejection in sales is a fact of life but rather than letting it get you down you can approach rejection like a champion and find great success! On today's show discover: ... 5 strategies for handling rejection; ... how to use rejection to improve; ... how to fail, like a champion. There are a lot of different skills to master in sales and one that many overlook is developing the skill to handle rejection. There are strategies and skills you can develop that can help you take rejection in stride and even begin to use it to your advantage. Five Strategies for Handling Rejection 1 Separate your ego from your sales performance It’s important to separate yourself from rejection and understand it’s not about you.. Don’t take it personally, rejection can mean many things but your close rate does not equal your self worth. For more on how to turn a no into a yes check out Episode 54 2 Maintain positive self talk A lot of times the biggest obstacle you need to overcome is sitting right be

Misinterpreted Communication It happens all the time, you say something but what you mean isn’t always interpreted properly. Sometimes it can be quite funny...you know like when you ask your kids to pick up their room they hear “slide all of those toys and clothes under your bed so I can’t see them.” But in sales the difference between what you say and what your customer hears isn’t always that humorous. On today's show discover: ...common things salespeople say; ...ways customers misinterpret those messages; ...and better ways to get your message across. Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes The Things Salespeople Say Communication isn’t easy just because you know what you mean doesn’t mean your customers will. To get your message across it’s important to thoughtfully select words and phrases that are less likely to be misinterpreted. Here are some common messages we use in sales and how your customer may be misinterpreting

In Sales, Nice Guys Finish First No doubt you’ve heard the expression “nice guys finish last”. I’m not entirely sure who said it but I’m pretty sure they weren’t talking about nice guys in sales because in sales “nice guys finish first.” On today's show discover: ...why you need your customer more than they need you; ...how easy it is to standout and rise above the competition; ...a simple way to get first hand experience on the other side of the counter. Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes Key Points from the Show Even a bad experience ordering a sandwich can ultimately impact sales! You need your customer more than they need you. Be the customer and go on a pretend shopping trip. It's a great way to add the good experiences you have to your sales approach and remove any that can cause a negative experience. It's easy to stand out when you're: nice; friendly; respectful; and have a sincere desire to help. Today’s One

Everybody Uses a Script If you’re in sales chances are really good you have a sales script. Even in face to face sales you have a consistent “pitch”, a standard way you greet your customer and a consistent way to answer the phone.  In phone sales the script is even more important, because you have to rely heavily on the words you use to convey value and close.  If you aren’t taking full advantage of your script you’re missing out on a powerful sales tool. Not using it could be costing you money. On today's show discover: ...5 Ways your Sales Script Can Make You More Money this year A lot of business is conducted over the phone so no matter what type of sales you do, knowing how to use a sales script is important.  In fact,here are 5 ways using a sales script can make you more money right now. One: You avoid the pain and time of going through the trial and error process. Your sales script is the culmination of all the mistakes others made before you. That’s a great thing, because you don’t have to go through

No One Can Sell You Like You Nobody can sell you on buying something better than you and that goes for your customer as well. When they get excited and want to buy, just stand back and get out of the way! What if you could structure your conversations in such a way that your customers actually sell themselves? That would be pretty cool right? On today's show discover: ...how to keep your customers engaged; ...why you need to be careful what you ask for; ...how to focus your conversation in such a way that your customers practically sell themselves. Subscribe to KO Sales Coach iTunes | Android | Email | RSS | More Subscribe Options Leave a Rating and Review in iTunes Who's Doing All The Talking? Despite what some people may think selling isn’t about “talking somebody into something” in fact most of the best salespeople in the world say very little. When you’re doing all the talking it’s likely your customer has simply tuned out and you’re sounding more and more like the teacher from Charlie Brown. On the f

6 Out of 10 Say No When you’re in sales you’re going to hear the word “No” and you’re going to hear it a lot more than you hear “yes”.  In fact, if you’re great at sales 6 out of 10 people will turn you down. And to be great in sales you can’t let the no(s) you get, get you down. On today's show discover: ...that there’s a positive side to every no; ...how to know what no means; ...and how curiosity can help you turn No(s) into Yes(s); It's Easier to Say No Most people find it easier to say no then to actually make a decision. For that reason, those of us in sales are used to hearing “no” far more frequently than we hear “yes”. In fact, studies show that the average customer says no about five times before they say yes. Now you could let those “nos” pile up on you and bring you down or you could recognize that every “no” is getting you that much closer to your next yes. Unfortunately, there are a lot of missed sales opportunities because some people feel that no is the final answer. No is not the end of th

Go Out on a Limb Most people associate risk with danger and when we’re in dangerous territory we’re uncomfortable. But there is an upside to taking calculated risks and being a little uncomfortable. Take an apple tree for example...the fruit grows at the tips of the branches, not next to the trunk. You have to be willing to go out on a limb, where you might not feel comfortable to get the good fruit. For your sales life to be fruitful...you need to do the same thing...you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. On today's show discover: ...why it’s important for your sales career to embrace the uncomfortable; ...how to get past those things that might be holding you back; ...and why getting uncomfortable might be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself. We Love Our Comfort Zones It’s human nature to move toward those things that are comfortable. We do love our comfort zones! But when you look at people who have found success whether in sales, sports, business or any aspect of life you see people t