CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 7 Attention

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” Will Rogers

2 7 Attention How can you get a prospect to heed what you are saying? Just because you meet, is your prospect necessarily ready and anxious to talk about what you want to talk about? How can you be sure you are on the same wavelength with your prospect?

“Your first impression is an invaluable stepping stone to the island of prospective clients” Sandra Ferguson Precision Realty & Management Sandra Ferguson Precision Realty & Management

2 7 Purpose of the Attention Step Personally contact the prospect Get the prospect to listen Secure a favorable interview

2 7 Establish Communication Open and honest communication, even early in the relationship building process, is critical to the continuance of that process The salesperson must be sincerely interested in the prospect’s situation

2 7 Span of Attention You must earn your prospect’s attention in the first five seconds of an interview You must continue to earn it in 60-second increments You must constantly be doing or saying something to hold your prospect’s attention

2 7 Try This Test Draw a small circle approximately one inch in diameter on a plain sheet of paper Concentrate on only the circle! Time yourself using a watch with a sweep second hand How long can you concentrate on the circle without having other things enter your mind?

2 7 Getting the Appointment Experienced sales representatives try to schedule appointments in advance Appointments are efficient Appointments allow customers to see salespeople at their convenience, and to prepare for such meetings if necessary

2 7 Influencers In order to talk to the right person, you must often cooperate with that individual’s influencers (gatekeepers)  Household-buying situations Spouses  Oganizational buying situations Administrative assistants

2 7 Setting the Appointment Most commonly used methods:  Telephone  In-person calls  Letters   Third party introductions

2 7 Telephone The best telephone approach is simple, direct, and businesslike The objective is to secure an appointment, not to make the sales presentation on the telephone Lead with a benefit Use a natural tone of voice

2 7 In-person Calls Cold calls are not for the purpose of making sales presentations, but to set up appointments for a later time The goal in making a cold call is to meet with the prospect face-to-face

2 7 Mail Writing letters is useful in initiating contact with a prospect  Send a letter, including a return postcard  Briefly outline the sales proposition  Ask for an interview to explain it fully A card or letter indicating when you will be in town is also common practice

2 7 Etiquette A company needs to implement etiquette rules for the following reasons:  Professionalism  Efficiency  Protection from liability Refer to Table Etiquette Tips

2 7 Third Party Referral Third party referral is an extension of the referral technique of prospecting The satisfied customer may be asked not only to supply names of prospects but also to write a note introducing you to that prospect This technique is particularly effective in industrial (B2B) situations

2 7 First Impression Salespeople must be conscious of the communication signals they are sending  Visual  Vocal  Verbal/Non-verbal

2 7 Appearance Salespeople must be visually appealing Many prospects will judge salespeople by their appearance Take the “full-length mirror test” several times a day

2 7 Dress for Success For tips on:  Formal Business/Interview attire see Table 7.3  Business Casual/Non-office attire see Table 7.4

2 7 Lombardi Time "Show up for every important business meeting 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled meeting time"  Catch your breath  Collect your thoughts  Preplan what you want to accomplish in the meeting and how you'll go about it

2 7 Approaching The Customer Sales Call Anxiety  Sales call anxiety (SCA) is an irrepressible fear of being negatively evaluated and rejected by a customer SCA consists of four components: Negative self-evaluations Negative evaluations from customers Awareness of physiological symptoms Protective actions Refer to Table Addressing Sales Call Anxiety

2 7 Practice the Golden Rule What does your prospect want from you? What would you want from a sales representative if you were suddenly to change places with your prospect? If you talk with your prospect about the things that concern him/her, you’ll always have an attentive listener

2 7 Courtesy and Common Sense Ask for permission to sit Never clutter the prospect’s desk or floor without asking for permission Watch the tone of your voice Always be courteous but not overly friendly or pushy Never be presumptuous

2 7 Look for Clues Your prospect’s desk can provide clues about their:  Personality  Communication style  Work style

2 7 What could these clues indicate? A clean desktop Organized piles on the desktop Multiple drawers and filing cabinets Papers and clutter Boxes and piles on the floor

Look Your Prospect In The Eye “Never trust a person who can’t look you in the eye” This is firm in the minds of a good percentage of your prospects “Never trust a person who can’t look you in the eye” This is firm in the minds of a good percentage of your prospects

2 7 Opening the Presentation What makes some salespeople standout? The best sales professionals know:  How to emphasize benefits in their presentations  The most effective presentations must start and finish with the prospect’s needs and wants as the focus

2 7 Presentation Openers Openers are effective and brief introductions to the remaining parts of the sales presentation The opener should fit the situation of the particular prospect Salespeople must practice to help reduce the risks of trial-and-error

2 7 Choice of Words Keep the conversation focused  Avoid long, rambling sentences  Avoid buzzwords and jargon  Avoid words or phrases that might suggest that the salesperson is operating from a weak position

2 7 Gaining Attention Ask Something Say Something Show Something Give Something

2 7 Referral Opener Referrals from existing customers can open doors to previously “off-limits” prospects  Casual acquaintance of prospect  Personal friend of prospect  Referral card of introduction

2 7 The Exhibit Opener The exhibit opener immediately captures the prospect’s attention The exhibit can be any tangible object  Calendar  Newspaper clipping  Magazine article  Brochure  Gift

2 7 The Compliment Opener The compliment opener is effective because it appeals to basic human instinct  Appreciation  Recognition A sincere compliment is always true, specific, and in good taste

2 7 Prospect Benefits Salespeople can use a benefit statement as an effective opener  Must be brief and general  Preferably demonstrates the salesperson’s advantage over competitors

2 7 More Attention Getters Wire the prospect Write to the prospect Send an empty envelope Share an idea Share a new success story Use a mystery opener Offer a challenge Share a gift Use a big name Use a curiosity arouser Make a startling statement

Roughly 75 percent of all salespeople fail in the attention step. If you can become professionally proficient in this area, it will automatically put you in the top quadrant of successful salespeople. “If you don’t have the prospect’s attention, you don’t have anything!” “If you don’t have the prospect’s attention, you don’t have anything!”