Relationship Sales

This week's group teleconference focused on "Relationship Sales", or developing deeper relationships with current clients, as well as forming true relationships with new ones. Since current clients are not only already a source of cash flow, but are the best source of referrals, it's vitally important to manage that resource. Keeping clients costs less than acquiring new ones.

The sales process model we talked about:

1. Fill the pipeline
2. Follow up
3. Get a presentation/meeting
4. Close the sale

Fear is a common cause of poor sales-fear of rejection, fear of not providing value, etc.

Problems
Lack of follow up-->I need some sort of system to ensure that I follow up after getting someone in the pipeline. (note: I've been testing some contact management software to help with just that-it lets me put an "event" into a timeline, so I can schedule a contact down the road. I'm not thrilled with what I've found, but I might be able to make due with it. The most promising application I've found so far is Organizer from Chronos http://www.chronosnet.com)

Listening-->discover a clients business needs-they may not tell you in so many words. Learn to interperet, learn to read body language.

Right amount of assertiveness-->how much follow up?

Closing the deal-->need to "turn it over". Overcome a client's objections and try to get a "yes" now.

Credibility-->this is what I'm really selling, at least to a new client. People do business with people they like.


Solutions

Active Listening-->tune into the person rather than the words they're using

Take stock-know my value. What are my strenghths? What things work for me?

Learn to negotiate/barter.

Think ahead. Avoid complacency and stay in the sales cycle.

Get to the decision maker-make allies within the client's company and establish repoire.



This week's homework:

Where do I fear rejection? What's holding me back? What do I do to retain customers?

Resources:

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
by Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Winning Through Negotiation (Complete Idiot's Guide to ...)
by John Ilich

The Art of War
by Sun Tzu