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July 26, 2017

And Then She Said "This Is NOT A Sales Pitch!"

For my birthday a few years ago - my 40th - my wife bought me the NASCAR Experience package - the opportunity to drive a real race car on a real track, Texas Motor Speedway!

I'm not a huge NASCAR fan and couldn't even name most of the drivers, but even still, just knowing that I was driving Jeff Gordon's #24 car on a real superspeedway where he himself has raced that car was surreal.

And the experience was exhilarating

But something else happened that day...

An Unexpected Lesson in Sales

The way the Experience works is that you can buy one, two, or three 8-minute racing sessions.

We scheduled mine on a Friday to avoid the weekend crowds, and sure enough, it wasn't busy at all.

In the mandatory one-hour driver's class that takes place before going out on the track, the facilitator said that because it's a slow day, anyone who wants to could upgrade to a second or third 8-minute session for half price.

Then he followed with this line:

"This is NOT a sales pitch!"

Umm, yeah, right... in our business we call it an upsell or a one-time offer!

BUT...

People believe it!

Just by saying, "This is not a sales pitch, it's only because we're not fully booked today," people believed him and bought the upsell.

In other words, he made sales by NOT appearing to be SELLING!

And if you're not a total rockstar at sales, rolling in cash every month when you get your commission check and living large, there's a reason: because you come across as someone who is SELLING!!!

The very best salespeople - the six figure earners - never sell. Instead, they create the circumstances for buying to take place, and sit back and simply let people buy.

How To Succeed in Sales

Of all the varieties of selling, from rookie mistakes all the way to sleazy dishonest tactics and high-pressure "closes," the worst of all is cold calling.

If you look at my definition of "selling", cold calling definitely takes the cake. It makes it practically impossible to let people buy.

If you want to succeed in sales, and become a top-performing salesperson almost immediately, there are two steps you must take to make that happen:

1. Stop selling, and start creating circumstances where people buy.

2. The first step to that is to stop cold calling - it's the worst form of selling.

Take those steps, and watch your sales numbers explode and your stress disappear!

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

New York Times best-selling author Frank Rumbauskas is the author of the Never Cold Call Again® System and has won numerous accolades, such as Readers Choice for Business Book of the Year from 800-CEO-READ, and has been named one of Fast Company’s top 30 most influential people. To learn more, and to download a free 37-page PDF preview of his Never Cold Call Again lead-generation system, visit NeverColdCall.com

Posted at 07:33 PM in sales, Sales Skills, Sales Tips | Permalink

And Then She Said "This Is NOT A Sales Pitch!"

For my birthday a few years ago - my 40th - my wife bought me the NASCAR Experience package - the opportunity to drive a real race car on a real track, Texas Motor Speedway!

And the experience was exhilarating

But something else happened that day...

An Unexpected Lesson in Sales

The way the Experience works is that you can buy one, two, or three 8-minute racing sessions.

We scheduled mine on a Friday to avoid the weekend crowds, and sure enough, it wasn't busy at all.

Then he followed with this line:

"This is NOT a sales pitch!"

Umm, yeah, right... in our business we call it an upsell or a one-time offer!

BUT...

People believe it!

Just by saying, "This is not a sales pitch, it's only because we're not fully booked today," people believed him and bought the upsell.

In other words, he made sales by NOT appearing to be SELLING!

And if you're not a total rockstar at sales, rolling in cash every month when you get your commission check and living large, there's a reason: because you come across as someone who is SELLING!!!

The very best salespeople - the six figure earners - never sell. Instead, they create the circumstances for buying to take place, and sit back and simply let people buy.

How To Succeed in Sales

Of all the varieties of selling, from rookie mistakes all the way to sleazy dishonest tactics and high-pressure "closes," the worst of all is cold calling.

If you look at my definition of "selling", cold calling definitely takes the cake. It makes it practically impossible to let people buy.

If you want to succeed in sales, and become a top-performing salesperson almost immediately, there are two steps you must take to make that happen:

1. Stop selling, and start creating circumstances where people buy.

2. The first step to that is to stop cold calling - it's the worst form of selling.

Take those steps, and watch your sales numbers explode and your stress disappear!

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

Posted at 07:33 PM in sales, Sales Skills, Sales Tips | Permalink

Are You An Annoying Pest? Or A Welcome Guest?

That question was first coined by Dan Kennedy, way back in 1974.

Yes, even in the pre-Internet, pre-Social Media days, when cold calling was still in vogue, wayyyyy back then, someone STILL had the common sense to explain why cold calling was ineffective versus the direct-response marketing methods of the day!

Having given you the history - and proper credit - on where that phrase came from, you have to ask yourself, which one are you?

The Annoying Pest

I deal with the annoying pest as a business owner, although the problem is getting less and less common, partly because both myself and technology have improved at blocking out annoying pests, and partly because of the generational shift in selling - in other words, the newer, younger generation of sales managers who are taking over who understand that cold calling is a relic of the 1950s and won't have their sales teams doing it.

By the way, who is the annoying pest?

I'll answer that question with a question: Do you cold call?

If you said "yes" then YOU, my friend, are the annoying pest!

And the annoying pest is no longer welcome in the modern world of commerce.

In fact, the annoying pest hasn't been welcome in a VERY long time, but far too many people simply don't get it.

The Welcome Guest

The welcome guest is what some call the "new" breed of salesperson but there's really nothing "new" about it. I was the welcome guest back in the 1990s after I'd learned, and had it taught to me by a brilliant sales manager, that cold calling is for lazy morons who don't have the brainpower to prospect intelligently.

Yes, you heard me: Cold calling is LAZY. It's for people who don't want to THINKand learn something new and different. As Henry Ford once said, thinking is the hardest thing there is. That's why almost no one does it.

The welcome guest, on the other hand, is just that - welcome. The welcome guest is someone who can solve a problem. Someone who can add value. Someone who can benefit all involved.

The welcome guest doesn't irritate people with the rude, intrusive behavior of cold calling.

And most importantly of all, the welcome guest is SUCCESSFUL and PROSPEROUS.

The annoying pest is a FAILURE, and usually a frustrated one at that, thanks to the lousy personality that develops over time due to the never-ending confrontation and negativity of cold calling.

The irony in all this is that, for a few years, I was an ANNOYING PEST!

I cold called because I didn't know any better. I was new and young and dumb and I simply did what I was told to do. After all, wasn't I supposed to follow orders from my manager?

Nope. Not when the manager himself had spent life as an annoying pest.

Finally I got a clue - from a new sales manager who practically hit the ceiling when he saw me cold calling the first day on my new job and pulled me aside to tell me I was too good to do the job of an unskilled telemarketer.

This was a shock to my system, but there began a process of many years of learning and trial-and-error method that taught me how to generate endless hot leads, without ever making another cold call, ever again.

Suddenly I was working fewer hours, going on fewer appointments, yet I was making a lot more sales.

Best of all, I had a lot more free time. I was selling more by doing less work - by focusing only on people who were pre-disposed to buy from me, I was closing 4 out of 5 sales, instead of my previous record of 1 in 5 when the leads came from cold calling.

After I had mastered this concept and developed a system of lead-generation strategies that brought me an endless supply of hot leads - people who were ready to buy right now - I began teaching that system to others, and you know what they told me?

The same thing happened to them: They began selling a lot more while doing far less work.

Making the transition from annoying pest to welcome guest is a great feeling - I know, because I achieved it. (Oh yeah, and your stress level goes down.)

And now it's your turn.

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

Posted at 07:31 PM in Cold Call, Cold Calling, Cold Calling Scripts | Permalink

Why Most Salespeople Hate Selling

It never ceases to amaze me how few salespeople I meet who actually love selling, like I do. Worse yet, it appears that a huge number literally hate it - but keep on only because they need a job!

Ask anyone outside the sales profession why they don't like to sell, and they'll tell you, "I hate selling."

There is one reason, and one reason only, why anyone hates selling:

It's because they are inept at it.

They've failed at it.

They can't do it.

This is true in any profession, or any activity in the world, for that matter. People who tell you they hate playing golf - myself included - hate it because they suck at it. (My grass allergy doesn't help either!)

Want To Be Successful? Love What You Do!

It was Socrates who first said it, and it's been repeated by dozens of authors and success philosophers down the centuries: "The only unsuccessful men are those who have not yet found the work they like best."

It's a plain and simple fact that when one is doing the work one likes best, that person is happy, successful, and prosperous.

Work is no longer work. It becomes a labor of love, a joy, to perform.

When I was asked to give an presentation recently on what the #1 cause of sales turnover is, since sales turnover is EXTREMELY expensive for organizations, I had a research assistant find out, and pages and pages of research and case studies all gave the same answer:

Salespeople quit their jobs when they don't like them.

Going deeper into the research, the #1 reason why salespeople don't like their jobs is cold calling. In fact a surprisingly large majority said they'd rather have a root canal than make 100 cold calls.

The #1 reason why salespeople don't like their jobs is cold calling

Is it any wonder, then, that so many salespeople are failures, when they literally HATE what they're doing for a living? When they'd rather have a freaking ROOT CANAL than go to work?

On the other side of the coin, the report contained numerous surveys of business owners & senior executives. When asked what they dislike most about their work, the answer was consistently the same: Receiving cold calls.

The Shortcut to Sales Success

It's well-known to everyone that, no matter how cliche it may sound, the first requirement of success is a positive mental attitude. And you can never have that in your work if you hate your work!

Simply having that positive attitude, and the upbeat enthusiasm that goes with it, makes you magnetically attractive to prospects. They can't resist wanting to BUY from you.

And knowing that cold calling, above everything else combined, is the #1 reason that makes salespeople hate their jobs and destroys positive attitude, the shortcut to sales success is very plain and simple: STOP COLD CALLING! NOW! TODAY!

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

Posted at 07:31 PM in sales, Sales Tips, selling | Permalink

The Two Most Common Sales Traps and Mistakes

Are You Complacent? Or A Genius?

There are two major traps that salespeople and entrepreneurs alike fall into. I've fallen into both myself, first as a salesperson, and then again as an entrepreneur, in the initial years after I started NeverColdCall.com.

The "Genius" Problem

When I was selling in late 1999/early 2000, my specific territory was an area of town that was very business-dense, so there were a huge quantity of B2B prospects there, but that area was also notorious for the arrogant and so-called "fake" people who both lived and worked there.

During that time, I repeatedly came across the "genius" problem: People who had the attitude that if they didn't already know about something, then it must not exist; therefore it was very difficult to get appointments with these people. (Eventually I realized that I DID NOT WANT appointments with these people - they weren't worth my time.)

Never mind the fact that I was selling a brand-new, cutting-edge technology that they absolutely didn't know about. But in their minds, they already knew everything!

In their minds, they already knew everything!

I did the same thing for a while after initially enjoying financial independence, which unfortunately didn't last all too long because I also fell into "genius" mode. I was doing so well with so little work that I closed my mind to further learning and had fun instead. Then eventually I came to my senses and gave up the "I don't work anymore" routine - as you can tell from these emails, I now work - a lot!

Salespeople do it too. I fell into the trap, which was particularly dangerous at a time when the Internet was just beginning to take over, and it began to make older, albeit proven, lead-generation methods less and less effective.

The "Complacency" Problem

This is the more dangerous of the two. I know I did it, first in sales when the leads and commission checks were pouring in with little effort. When 9/11 hit, the economy crashed - and I was forced to reinvent FAST - I gave up my complacency in a hurry.

I did it again after starting NeverColdCall.com, at the same time I had considered myself a "genius." I was fat and happy, as the saying goes, and let things run on autopilot for a while.

I was fat and happy, as the saying goes.

Of course, it didn't last, because in today's economy, businesses are forced to reinvent themselves an average of every two years - a far cry from the Industrial Age of the 20th Century when a business could chug along for decades with few major changes.

Complacency in Sales

I can always tell when I'm dealing with a complacent salesperson. It's a dead giveaway when they say, "I don't need your stuff because cold calling works for me!"

When I hear that, I immediately know I'm talking with someone who is happy with mediocrity - happy to earn just enough to keep the bills paid, stay employed for another few months, and maybe even put a few away into the savings account.

When I hear that, I immediately know I'm talking with someone who is happy with mediocrity.

However, complacent people never, ever achieve noteworthy success. Never, ever.

That's the reason I stopped being complacent. Now I never stop thinking of and working on new idea, new businesses, and I never stop learning - last night I read chapters from two different books while listening to a third in the car today. Not to mention the fact that I have a short list of books I regularly re-read, to be sure I stay sharp on fundamentals. (Hint: It takes a minimum of three readings of a book before you really "get it.")

The bottom line is that if you want to achieve noteworthy success, and attain your goals and dreams, you must never fall into the complacency trap.

And if there's one huge red flag that a salesperson has become complacent, it's that they're still cold calling in the 21st Century, when cold calling simply doesn't find enough qualified leads anymore to make it worth your time.

So do yourself a big favor: STOP cold calling, and START using effective, intelligent, Information Age methods to start bringing qualified prospects to YOU!

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

Posted at 07:29 PM in sales, Sales Tips, Sales Training | Permalink

Ronald Reagan's Powerful Sales Lessons

What Ronald Reagan Can Teach Us About Sales

You hear a lot about Ronald Reagan from politicians these days, on both sides of the aisle. History regards him as one of America's greatest presidents, so he gets name-dropped by a lot of people who attempt to identify with him during campaigns.

But what you don't hear about is what Ronald Reagan can teach us about sales, because he was a master salesman!

His most important goal - and greatest accomplishment - was toppling the Soviet Union. While it's generally believed that he did it simply by out-spending them on military buildup and nuclear missiles, that's not entirely true.

Let me tell you how he really did it:

Reagan's Introduction to the Soviets

Ronald Reagan's eventual domination of the Soviet Union began even before he started going after them in earnest.

It was all about the first impression he made. First impressions count. First impressions last. And Reagan's first impression, to the Soviets, was of a man of power and respect.

When Ronald Reagan arrived for the first time in the Soviet Union, it was winter, and it was downright cold outside - typical Russian winter weather with sub-zero temperatures and gusting winds and snow.

And then it happened....

Ronald Reagan got out of his limo, wearing only a suit with no overcoat. In the below-zero temperatures, he kept his cool (no pun intended), and didn't shiver or do anything else to indicate that he was cold. He looked like a super-human to those watching on television, and made his Soviet counterparts, dressed in heavy overcoats, scarves, and fur hats, look like wimps.

The collective thoughts of the Soviet people were, "Who is this man?"

And then it was all downhill for them from there. As Sun Tzu said in The Art of War, "Every battle is won before it's ever fought." And Reagan had the Soviets psychologically defeated even before the arms race began that eventually brought them down.

What's YOUR First Impression?

If Reagan brought down the world's only other superpower besides the United States, based on the first impression he created on his initial visit, then you KNOW that first impressions count.

Ask yourself this: What is YOUR first impression?

Are you showing up with power and authority as Reagan did, causing people to ask themselves, "Who is this person?"

Or are you supplicating and looking desperate and hungry when you approach sales prospects?

I've got some news for you: If you want to look weak and desperate, then there's no better way in the world to accomplish that than by cold calling.

Cold calling sub-communicates that you have nothing else to do, no customers to service, no prospects wanting to do business with you - in other words, that you're desperate.

It also makes you look greedy, and not in a good way. Cold calling shows that you are out to GET a sale from them, not to GIVE them value and honest service.

So if you want to convey the level of power and authority that Ronald Reagan did in toppling the Soviets, you need to stop cold calling. Immediately. Right now.

Learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a free 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System.

Posted at 07:28 PM in sales, Sales Power, Sales Skills | Permalink

Want to Close Sales? Then Shut Up!

"Please just SHUT UP already!"

Shut up? Yes, shut up!

To explain, let me tell you a story:

One day, once I'd figured out how to close sales - which of course means I was getting people to buy from me, without doing any pushy selling - I had an experience I have never forgotten.

I was in an appointment with the managing partner of a big, imposing law firm. He had many framed news articles all over his walls about the multi-million dollar awards he'd won for his clients.

Like the law firm, he was big and imposing, and not exactly an "easy" prospect. Just seeing his success as a trial lawyer told me that I'd probably met my match when it came to the negotiating game, and this would be a tough one to crack.

I was there to present my proposal and hopefully close the deal. This was a large firm, with well over 40 attorneys and a huge support staff, so the cost of the phone system I was proposing was in the $100,000 range. In other words, it was a major purchase for them.

I presented my solution, answered questions and objections, and then sat back - and then I SHUT UP.

The big famous lawyer sat back and shut up too. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the price.

Then he got up and began pacing around the room, still staring at my proposal.

Minutes dragged on for what seemed like hours. Like most salespeople, I was uncomfortable with the silence, and really wanted to say something to break it, but I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut.

Minutes dragged on for what seemed like hours.

After some more pacing around and huffing and puffing on his part, he finally said, "Ok, we'll buy it."

And that was that. I walked out with a signed contract, a signed check, and a wonderful feeling of victory like no other! Not to mention a big fat commission check.

Why Most Salespeople Lose Sales

Few salespeople are able to keep their mouths shut in a tense closing situation like that. That's why there are so few superstars in the sales world.

It takes a lot of strength and fortitude to be able to stay quiet when all you want to do is break the silence!

But as the old sales rule goes, "He who speaks first, loses." And it's true.

Most salespeople lose for two major reasons:

#1. In those closing appointments, when the prospect is silent and thinking about the purchase, the salesperson breaks the silence by saying something, and alas, as the saying goes, "He who speaks first, loses."

#2. They're in a closing appointment with a prospect who is not fully qualified, and ready, willing, and able to buy right now.

Obviously, that managing partner signed a $100,000 check that day because he WAS in fact fully qualified, ready, willing, and able to buy. And those are the ONLY kind of prospects you should spend your precious and valuable time with.

And guess what? I didn't find him by cold calling. No way. People like that aren't even accessible via cold calls, let alone even willing to take one.

I found him by modern sales prospecting and lead generation methods. No "dialing for dollars" or "pounding the pavement" or "banging on doors."

No "dialing for dollars" or "pounding the pavement" or "banging on doors."

That crap may have worked in the 1950s, but we're in the 21st Century now, my friends.

If YOU want to close deals with the whales, then the whales need to know who YOUare.

Make a name and rep

utation for yourself. Celebritize yourself. Dress the part. Write a book and get it printed cheap online, and sign autographed copies to people you meet. It will make you an authority figure in their minds.

Be where the buyers are. I can't tell you how many deals I closed that began with sitting at the bar in a restaurant to have dinner after 5pm. I did my homework, learned where the whales hang out, and I hung out there too.

You can do the same. Believe me, if I can do it, then YOU can do it!

If you're not up to speed on modern, Information Age lead-generation methods, learn how you can stop cold calling forever and become a sales rock star by downloading a 37-page PDF preview of the Never Cold Call Again System here.

Posted at 07:26 PM in Sales Closing | Permalink

Cold Calling Is For Idiots

A good friend of mine, a fellow business owner, made a very interesting post on Facebook and tagged me in it, to make sure I didn't miss it.

The post title? "Dinosaurs trying to sell flying saucers."

Here's the rundown:

First, he was cold called, without his permission, and his "email me instead" requests were repeatedly ignored.

Second, he finally agreed, via email, to do a live online "demo" with them, and only three minutes into it, the sales rep was spewing out old sales puke like "benefit statements" that make all of us prospects cringe in our seats.

My friend, sick of the useless "benefit statements," cut off the presentation and said, "Look, I'm not getting anything from this, so let's do both of ourselves a favor, and please email me a feature & price list."

Instead, the sales rep kept emailing him more slide presentations.

Finally, after asking about a gazillion more times, my friend FINALLY received a so-called proposal, that strictly contained pricing for their various packages. No breakdown of cost or comparison chart for their individual services.

Five weeks later, they've still done NOTHING to try to build a relationship with him, show him why their services would add profit to his bottom line - NOTHING.

Instead, it's just been endless crap sales techniques like "sell them on benefits first" and "you need to build warmth," ad nauseum.

Why Does This Still Happen?

One simple answer: UNQUALIFIED SALES MANAGERS!

And... unqualified sales trainers, or the kinds who keep people failing so they'll keep coming back for more training. Yes, they're out there.

The problem in this case isn't the salesperson. I can almost guarantee you it's the sales manager, or a crooked sales trainer, who is still teaching the garbage in sales books from the 1980s that are all about pestering people every day until they either say yes or no, spewing out "value statements" like a robot that mean nothing to qualified prospects, and other assorted old-school nonsense that simply doesn't work anymore in today's economy.

I hate to break the news, but in today's Internet age, prospects are just too smart and too well-informed to fall for any of that garbage.

Worst of all the garbage being taught to sales reps by unqualified managers is, you guessed it, COLD CALLING!

Here's the most twisted and sick thing about cold calling: Even if you ARE a great salesperson, and you KNOW how to sell effectively, the sad reality is that cold calling simply won't uncover the highly qualified prospects - those who are ready, willing, and able to buy right now.

When Baylor University's recent study concluded that it takes 7.5 hours of cold calling to set just ONE qualified appointment, they meant what they said: QUALIFIED. Not a time-waster. Not a "Seymour" as author Tony Parinello calls them - those who always want to "see more" but never buy! A qualified appointment is with someone who, like I said, has the means, and is ready and wanting to buy right now.

And cold calling, unfortunately, simply doesn't produce enough of those types of leads to be effective in today's tough economy.

The Solution

If your manager is still telling you to cold call, STOP!

That stuff just doesn't work anymore. Period. End of story. Your job is to STOP doing what doesn't work, and START doing what does!!!

Posted at 07:25 PM in Cold Calling | Permalink

July 25, 2017

Does The First Impression You Convey Help or Hurt Sales?

First Impressions Last Forever…

Are YOU dressing for success and making the best first impression with prospects?

I don’t just mean your clothes, either. If your car isn’t clean and detailed or has any door dings or dents, and your prospect sees you parking through the window, that’s a lousy first impression.

Personally, I dress casually for “normal” life - especially in Dallas heat!

When it comes to business, however, I don’t mess around. Here’s a photo of me, the way I dress for any kind of meeting, appointment, or networking event:

And by the way, I just bought these awesome new cuff links - perfect for me - let me know if you think so as well!

Oh, and you don't have to spend a fortune to look like that. The best quality and value suits I've found are the Saks black-label brand at their "Off 5th" outlet stores - at least once a month they have a 2-for-1 deal and you'll walk out with two high-end suits for around $350! And it sure doesn't hurt if you open your suit jacket to get a pen and your prospect gets a glimpse of the Saks 5th Avenue label - the look of prosperity always attracts favorable attention, with no exceptions whatsoever.

The way you act also makes a powerful first impression. Everything from the tone and projection of your voice (it’s been proven that lowering your voice to make it sound deeper closes more sales than not), along with the way you walk (do you walk confidently), how much stuff you’re carrying (it’s been shown that people who carry little or nothing appear more important and close more sales), and your body language is huge.

The numbers vary depending on the person or study stating them - I’ve heard everything from 65% to 93%. Either way, it’s more than 50% of how people see you, so it’s literally true that it’s not what you say, it’s HOW you say it!

Another big first impression variable is how and why you’re there in the first place.

Here’s why:

A sales appointment, in the big picture, is merely a negotiating session. You want to negotiate the prospect to buy, and the prospect is negotiating either the lowest possible price, or for an easy way to say “no” to you.

There’s another factor: The person who holds more power and controls the negotiation wins almost 100% of the time. If your prospect controls the meeting, you’re going to get shot down, or best case, sell at a lower price and receive a lower commission.

When YOU control the meeting, you’re not only going to get the sale, you’re likely to get it at your highest price, and even upsell your new customer to more products & services, for example, a maintenance plan.

So how do you get the power? Easy: The person who makes the approach doesn’t have the power. The one who didn’t make the approach has the power and will win.

Why does this matter?

Because any form of cold prospecting - and I mean any, since there are so many other methods with the internet other than a phone call or walking into a business.

When you make a cold contact, you’re making the initial approach, and you have no power - you automatically give it away to the prospect, leaving you with an uphill battle.

The fast and simple way to get prospects approaching you with a need, and with the virtually unlimited power of the internet and other forms of self-marketing, there’s no excuse not to.

New York Times best-selling author Frank Rumbauskas is the creator of the Never Cold Call Again® System and the LinkedIn® Selling System 2.0 and has won numerous accolades, such as Readers Choice for Business Book of the Year from 800-CEO-READ, and has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Influential People. To learn more, and to download a free 37-page PDF preview of his Never Cold Call Again lead-generation system, visit NeverColdCall.com

Posted at 05:02 PM in sales | Permalink

Silly, Outdated, and Dangerous Sales Legends

A new month is upon us in just two days. I love new months. A new month means new opportunities.

I'm doubly excited for a new month to start, because each month has been better than the last. The popularity of the Never Cold Call Again sales philosophy continues to grow through word-of-mouth and that's the best kind of advertising any company can get.

But I digress. Let me tell you the story I'm writing to you about today:

Lots of salespeople make stupid assumptions about when and why people will buy - or won't buy. I'm guilty of this myself, and getting over this stupidity is a big reason why NeverColdCall.com's growth has been especially spectacular in the past two years, despite the sluggish economy.

Here's why: Early on, sales volume would plummet each year immediately following Thanksgiving here in the US, and wouldn't bounce back to normal levels until mid-January.

Assuming that this was just the way it was, I backed off on my marketing and was far less aggresssive for that time period between Thanksgiving and mid-January. I wasn't sending out my daily email Sales Tips like this one, and just accepted the fact that business was supposed to be slow that time of year; after all, everyone is too busy shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah and preparing for holiday celebrations, aren't they?

Then finally, one day I said screw it. I'm going to continue marketing hard all through the holiday season, and what will be will be.

To my surprise - and delight - the last few Decembers have turned into routine sales months, with numbers matching our monthly averages. In fact, during the last two Decembers, the only slow day we had was Christmas Day itself!

And this last January set a record for our largest month ever. After years of my stupid assumption that people didn't want to spend money yet due to holiday shopping maxing out their credit cards.

And with July right around the corner, salespeople will use Independence Day as an excuse to not go out and make sales in the coming week.

Are YOU Making These Stupid Assumptions?

My old sales manager John, the one I mention all the time - the only smart one I ever had - used to get really annoyed that most of us would slack off during the holidays and get distracted ourselves by holiday shopping and preparation.

But it wasn't really any distraction that caused the problem. The problem is that we ASSUMED people wouldn't be in a buying mode, because THEY were all busy with the holidays themselves.

Oh how wrong I was. In fact, the truth is that in B2B sales, companies are trying to spend their budgets before year-end, and get last minute tax deductions on the books.

And even in the B2C world, the same thing goes on. Particularly in industries like real estate and financial services, where people are trying to get their tax advantages in before the December 31st deadline. Or medicine, where people have procedures done at the end of the year because they've fulfilled the deductible, and the work will be free.

So if YOU have been making these kinds of assumptions, STOP IT! Sure, the holidays are six months behind us - for now - but there are all kinds of myths that permeate the sales world: "Prospects are out golfing on Fridays." "They're too busy on Monday to follow up with them." And on and on it goes.

In fact, I'm sure plenty of salespeople are whining right now that it's hard to reach prospects because it's corporate tax season. Whatever. Shut up, stop making excuses, and get to work.

Remember, CONSISTENCY is key! Top sales pros make the same huge numbers month after month, because they are consistent with their sales activities and they don't change them because of silly assumptions about holidays, or Fridays or Mondays, or anything else.

So stop making those assumptions yourself, and watch your sales numbers SOAR!

New York Times best-selling author Frank Rumbauskas helps companies make billions by improving sales processes and marketing strategy. He has won numerous accolades, such as Readers Choice for Business Book of the Year from 800-CEO-READ, and has been named one of Fast Company’s 30 Most Influential People. If you're in sales and want to stop cold calling forever, download a free 37-page PDF preview of his Never Cold Call Again lead-generation system at NeverColdCall.com