1. 16 Step Sales Process Keep Advancing the Prospect Toward a Sale
From The Accidental Salesperson
By Chris Lytle

2. Ten Most Wanted List You can’t close everybody at the same time.
Only some prospects will buy.
Keep a list of the top 10 prospects.
Each relationship moves at different pace, so the pipeline is always full.
Interim goals: Move through the process.

3. 16 Step Process
Think about movement of prospects through the 16 steps.
How many steps/week?
What % move from each step? Advancing ratios.
Work on:
Increasing # steps
Increasing % who move from each step

4. 16 Steps Identify Prospect Identify the Decision Maker Seed
Send a Letter
Dial the Phone
Contact Decision Maker
Book First Appointment

5. 16 Steps (continued) Confirm the First Appointment
Complete 1st Appointment
Book Customer Needs Analysis
Complete Customer Needs Analysis
Book the Proposal
Write the Proposal
Make the Proposal
Confirm the Order (Close)

6. 16 Steps as a Tool Can spot bottlenecks, failure points.
Need for coaching or training
Can track progress on multiple prospects.
Track dates: create sense of urgency to reach next level.
Keep on track.

7. Step 1 Identify a prospect, some company that you want to approach.
This firm might look like other customers you currently have.
They might be doing business with your competition.
You may have met an employee on the plane.

8. Step 2 Get a name and number. Get this information from:
Web Site
Annual Report
Professional Association
Receptionist
The point is to identify somebody to contact.

9. Step 3
Seeding: Just like planting seeds. The more you plant, the more likely you achieve success.
Newspaper clippings, Internet sites, magazine articles, etc.
Mail them, fax them, them.
Best to include business card or use corporate cover form.

10. Step 4 (Optional) Over-seeding More of the same; a few days later.
The idea is to position yourself as a source of industry knowledge.
At the very least, you show that you know something about the prospect’s industry & that their business is important enough for you to do something extra.

11. Step 5 Send a Letter. A few days after the last seed.
Step 5a: Schedule the call.
Book it on your calendar.
It prepares the prospect for your call
You make a promise and keep it.
Same with non-decision meeting.

12. Step 6
Dial the phone
You stated in letter that you would call on a certain day. DO IT!
Can say to secretary: “I promised that I would call this morning.”
Keep calling until you reach decision maker

13. Step 7 Make contact with decision maker.
May have to call multiple times.
Remember, you are trying to get an appointment.
“This is (). You have a letter from me, and I’ve sent you articles. When is a convenient time for us to get together for a 25 minute, non-decision-making meeting? Would a week from tomorrow work for you, say at 9:20?”

14. Step 8 Book first appointment KEY: Ask for appointment next week.
You show you are booked in advance, i.e. successful.
You need the face-to-face meeting. You can’t do it as well by phone.

15. Step 9 Confirm the appointment. Postcard, fax, email.
Helps make an impression before the first meeting.

16. Step 10 Complete first appointment Sell your process
Discuss the ground rules before getting into “the game”
Tell prospect how you work
Take mystery out
Frame issues
Gain credibility

17. Step 11 Book Customer Needs Analysis
By controlling meeting and framing the issues, you get an opportunity to find out more about the prospect.
Either do here and now, or schedule a follow-up meeting to gather data for a proposal.
You are trying to get 2 more meetings.

18. Step 12 Complete Customer Needs Analysis
First sell prospect on the benefits of answering questions.
Consultative Selling
Top Performers ask better questions
Customize solutions for customer’s benefit; not just to make a sale
LISTEN

19. Step 13 Book the proposal Forces you to write the proposal.
You now have a deadline.
Be sure to have this appointment before you leave the needs analysis.
Proposal meeting is where you make your money.

20. Step 14 Write the Proposal Use a template (p. 145)
Use Level 2, 3, & 4 pages

21. Step 15 Make the proposal Infomercial format
Set out the problem
Explain the solution
Demonstrate how your product best provides the solution
Story telling adds credibility
Sell complete system

22. Step 16 Close Confirm the Order aka “order acquisition”
Axiom: You don’t have to trick people into doing business with you.
Corollary: Never use a closing line from any book, tape, or seminar,