"I feel AWESOME!"

Have you ever closed a sale where you felt particularly wonderful afterwards? Maybe it was a long-shot situation and you won the business, or maybe there was some incredible objection you had to overcome and you did, or maybe it was a sale you were sure you lost that came to life at the last minute.

I'd like to hear stories about sales transactions that you closed where, when it was all done, you said to yourself, "I accomplished this and I feel awesome - a salesperson of less skill probably wouldn't have closed this sale, but I did it."

Does anybody have any stories to share? -Skip Anderson

In carpet cleaning, a lady said she wasn't interested in Scotchgarding (I heard her husband complaining in the background). She called me back in 5 minutes saying she changed her mind and to add it to the order (after her husband had left)

A lady had turned me down for a newspaper subscription. But then someone else said something and she then said she wanted it (on behalf of the other household member).

I think it would be interesting to hear wife vs husband sales stories. -Wonderboy

Thanks, Wonderboy. Anybody have any more stories? -Skip Anderson

I feel encouraged when someone with significant health issues makes the decision to use our nutritional products which I know will be of great benefit.

I feel hopeful when two weeks later my new customer is faithfully consuming these products.

I feel extremely happy when some time later - the time varies - that person reports significant product results.

All of that puts me in a state of awe and eleven years since beginning my new career in life that feeling of being encouraged, of feeling hopeful, of feeling extremely happy and awe struck continues to be a very satisfying part of the pay back for what I do.

The best of the best to everyone.

MitchM -MitchM

I don't know... I feel awsome every day weather I make a sale or not. Waking up in the morning is usually enough for me!

Wear the Right Hat!
Bill -Bill_Kistner

Three weeks ago I took a phone up from a lady who lived out of state. She said she wanted to find a home in the town over. We didn't have any inventory in that town that would meet her requirements and when I was hanging up the phone for some reason I asked her why she had to be in the next town. She told me a story about wanting to be near her friend and I told her about a home that wasn't in the town she wanted but only a few miles across the border. Long story short she bought the home. And to think I was about to hang up the phone. :yi -Thomas

That is a great story, Thomas. It proves that salespeople should:

1. Ask more questions; and
2. Not give up as quickly as most salespeople do.

Congratulations! -Skip Anderson

Or, it proves that engaging in low probability activities occasionaly results in a sale. When you use that kind of anecdote as "proof," instead of recognizing a false positive occurance, it encourages more low probability activities.

A better strategy is to spend your time with prospects who are ready, willing and able to buy. When you do that, it's not a "great story." It's just a routine sale that happens all the time. -JacquesWerth

I'm not sure what statistics class you took, but if a salesperson completes a sale because they kept the prospect engaged, that is not a false positive (especially when most salespeople would have given up and not gone to the extra effort of keeping the prospect engaged during "status quo" paralysis).

Jacques, according to Thomas' post, he completed the transaction with the prospect, so obviously his prospect was "ready, willing and able to buy."

[Sometimes salespeople are so interested in sharing information that they don't listen carefully to the prospect and jump to conclusions. As a sales trainer, I can attest that sales trainers including myself sometimes have that same challenge.]

I purchased and read your book High Probability Selling about 6 years ago. I agree with the concept (but think the book could be condensed to one page or even one sentence - "spend your time with prospects who are ready, willing and able to buy").

But anything taken to excess is just that: excess. If we can't celebrate a salesperson's ability to keep a prospect engaged when it led to a sale (and presumably to a happy customer) as in Thomas' story merely because the salesperson didn't follow your "High Probability Selling" methodology, then I think that's excessive. That's just my opinion.

The best to you! -Skip Anderson

That is very revealing.

I am happy to report that we have sold over 120,000 copies of "High Probability Selling," to date and our year-to-year sales are still increasing.

Some companies buy several cases at a time. They use the book to train their salespeople in the entire High Probability Selling (HPS) process.

One of many sample testimonials on our website indicates that there is much more to HPS than prospecting. One was from the Senior VP Sales and Marketing at Prudential Insurance. He, stated that High Probability Selling is "the most dramatic development in selling that I've seen in my thirty years in the business."

Apparently, tens of thousands of salespeople have better reading-comprehension, and knowledge-retention skils than you do.

The best to you, too.
-JacquesWerth

Jacques, you constantly preach in this forum that salespeople should only sell to people that are ready, willing, and able to buy, and if they are not, you should move on.

Clearly, I am choosing to not drink the "high probability selling" kool-aid because I'm not buying into the excess I see in some of the hps posts in this forum and the aggressiveness in putting other posters down because they don't follow the hps system and the rampant hps self-promotion. So, why don't you practice what you preach and conclude that "Skip isn't a viable prospect for hps - I'm going to move on?". Instead, you choose to be aggressive toward me...

Just because I think your book could be condensed to one page or one sentence, and just because you report that sales of your book have been through the roof doesn't mean that tens of thousands of people have better reading-comprehension and knowledge-retention skills than I do. We simply disagree.

I don't begrudge anybody making a living. If your book has been successful, I say more power to you. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I bought your paperback six years ago. My original post was about the content in your book, not suggesting that your book was not successful or that people didn't buy it. That decision is entirely in the hands of the book-buying public.

Peace. -Skip Anderson

Skip,

Now that you found out that you can not get away with throwing flames, first you try to make me wrong, again. Then, you want “peace.”

I have no problem with anyone who disagrees with the High Probability Selling (HPS) process, or with me. I do not attack them. I refute their opinions with my own opinions and with fact based research. And, you characterize that as "rampant hps self promotion."

I do have a problem when you smear our book with false and misleading criticism, try to impugn what I do, and imply that it is dishonorable.

Contrary to your claim that HPS only makes one point, about a small aspect of prospecting, the book takes the reader through every aspect of the sales process. It exposes them to the most advanced sales concepts of top producers.

That is fact, not something to agree or disagree about.

Either you could not comprehend what you read, or retain what you read, or you are deliberatly smearing our book.

“Peace" is not just a word. It requires courtesy and mutual respect, at least. Integrity would be welcome, also. -JacquesWerth

I'm an amateur in sales and using Jacques' principles - his selling system - as I've not taken courses from him. What I've done is read his book four times and put some of what he's learned into practice. Neither am I perfect at that and I do digress to degrees.

BUT as Jacques says, his book is a lot more than a sentence in content and context. Multiple readings through the dialogues - imaginary sales conversations - carried a lot more weight with me than the thousands of pages I've read about shining my shoes, mirroring actions, memorizing closes, ways to press hot buttons and uncover disguised and hidden needs, etc.

Those conversations in HPS cut through the crap I was putting myself and getting nowhere.

I found the conversations took me through the sales process as Mr. Werth says AND Conditions of Satisfaction and other sections added a clarity and understanding I never had in the past.

I did a presentation today and the reason it happened was I already knew the man wanted something specific I offered and said he's buy it. Today we met, I gave him some information, on Monday or Tuesday he'll order. I never "sold" nor did I close - everything was understood from the beginning or I would not have met today.

AND asking questions to find out honesty and intent and quality of character - talking about our youthful days - created another dimension to the relationship. That also came from "High Probability Selling,"

So Skip, Mr. Werth doesn't need one amateur standing up for his book or training but I need to say how it's helped me - someone reading this may need it also. I haven't read anything into his book - everything came out of it in a way that nothing else has come from other studies because of it's orgazination around solid principles put into sales process examples i.e. sales call/presentation dialogues that I've done my best to put to use.

For anyone to reduce "High Probability Selling" to one sentence shows a lack of comprehension or some other motive I don't get.

MitchM -MitchM

Hi Marcus - I read the "page" - I've been on the site many times - compelling facts there - neither hype nor adjectives and adverbs inflating expectation or promise - it's good.

I wouldn't call the page promoting training in that system a condensation of the book - it's not that at all.

What would need to be different for me to want to take the training is the motivation and willingness to pay for it - the motivation would come from the thought that it would help me improve more than I have already but I don't have that motivation right now.

What about you - would you answer the same questions you posed I answered?

MitchM -MitchM

I did think the page was a good condensation of the book but I could be in left field.

For me to want to take any training I would have to believe the training would be worth the time, hassle and expense. Right now I don't have that belief but I was called a negative nellie today by a co-worker which might be part of the challenge. -Marcus

Marcus --

The page you put in there is a condensation of the principles in the book but I wouldn't call it a condensation of the entire content of the book BECAUSE to understand the principles the text - the dialogues putting life into the principles - are crucial.

Out of context the principles are still solid principles but I believe the value of these principles have to come from a contextual role model i.e. the conversations in the book, trainings in the system, then experience using them and whatever more trainings are necessary.

MitchM -MitchM

When I read the book the conversations didn't seem to add much context that I remember. That could be me though and mileage may vary. ;sm -Marcus

I tell Mac: "Mac, ask good questions to disqualify - do they need, want, and are willing to pay for this Gizmo. Also, if they don't answer openly and candidly end it. Also, you will come to discussing these conditions: delivery time, specifications, and size. Get commitments. That's all you do Mac. Now go for it!"

OR I tell Mac all that AND give him examples in real time conversations - what "High Probability Selling" did fictionally through the dialogues - the sales process conversations.

The conversations added content to the principles and examples of how to put principles into a sales call. The context of the sales call is the principle being modeled in the example.

If I've got that wrong I'm sure Mr. Werth will correct me if he reads this and feels it's important.

MitchM -MitchM

Is this a quote from the book? I don't remember. Either way I'd be interested in talking more about that idea in this thread or another. -Houston

It's an idea from the book, Houston. It's what I expect and how I've built my business. Mutual trust and respect is everything.

MitchM -MitchM

I'd say it's safe to say that for different reasons many consumers when they first encounter a salesperson are at least somewhat in defense mode and at first might not answers as openly and candidly as a salesperson might want. In that scenario would you suggest the salesperson end the conversation then and there? -Houston

Not personal questions but candid and open questions about what someone wants is what I mean. Also, you know when someone is hesitatingly answering questions or either not answering them or evading them. That's when you end it.

Also, if the conversation continues and you ask an autobiogaphical question - for example, "did you study business in high school or take classes in the business department?" - or if you ask "what did you like to do when you were a kid?" and the answers are candid and open and naturally offered - you know, a couple of people getting to know each other - there's someone you feel you can trust. It work both ways.

MitchM -MitchM

What salesperson would continue with someone who wasn't willing to participate in the conversation? That's common sense. I thought there was more to the HPS quote than that. I thought there were questions asked in the Trust and Respect inquiry that were more than just questions about what someone wants and if they didn't answer those questions openly and candidly then the salesperson should end the call. -Houston

I'm not an expert nor am I highly adept in high probability selling - I haven't taken the training but have read the book four times and put some of the principles to use. There is more than what you call common sense - a whole lot more which I've discussed, Jacques has discussed, on this thread.

The trust and respect inquiry is part of it - conditions of satisfaction are part of it.

I'm an amateur using Mr. Werth's system in the business I'm with which is direct sales/network marketing, something I don't believe Mr. Werth regards highly. I didn't seek this business - product results for my wife then company profile then the idea that I could do this business gave me something I thought I might be able to do. I didn't know.

I earn a comfortable high five figure income and have now since 2002 with gross sales yearly between $600,000 - 900,000 in my pay lines. There's a business profile I don't mind posting.

What I sell are nutritional supplements that optimal, balanced nutrition quickly absorbed for maximum use. I also sell a business opportunity that offers people the ability to set their own hours and earn residual - over ride - income from the business they build.

Using some - I believe Mr. Werth would say it's all or none, not some - of the HPS principles has greatly improved my business, my confidence, and my sense of self worth and capability. I expect the next decade to be better than the last.

I don't have the professional sales background many have who post here - I'm self taught and company taught and still learning - having done many things including 22 years teaching in the public school system, what I do today is fun, it pays the bills, I feel good about what I do, and gives me a lot of personal time.

For what it's worth to anyone, there's a candid and open description of me.

The best of the best to all.

MitchM -MitchM

I appreciate your open and candid post MitchM. ;co -Houston

Give me something specific for feedback, Huston. What exactly do you appreciate about my open and candid last post and why the appreciation? It's important for me to know the reason or source of feeling toward something.

Back to something you asked about ending a conversation if the person wasn't responding in an open and candid - however we define those things - way? I don't know. I don't know because we post in generalities here - it might be a reason to end a conversation or it might not.

My experience is that if I sense - if my experience in life informs me you or the next person isn't being honest, straight - open and candid - is dodging questions and answering in vague ways without making any kind of commitment - I end the conversation.

Okay - back to what you appreciate?

MitchM -MitchM

I appreciate the fact that in a forum where anyone and everyone could be reading you're willing to post openly about your skills, income and background. I'm sure a lot of people who read these posts find it hard enough just asking questions that might make them appear foolish even though that wouldn't be the case. -Houston

How many times have I posted questions and answers that I've looked back on with a tinge of not regret, a tinge of temporarly unsettled calm at some of the postings. I digress a lot also which has distressed others, Houston.

I don't pose as anothing here - I post as I am - I find many on these kinds of forums posture themselves as a successful this or professional that or accomplished whatever. They don't always give themselves away immediately.

Maybe I can be what I call candid and open because I'm not promoting myself as a professional - I see myself an an amateur and regardless of the success I enjoy over my lifelife time with my company will always see myself that way.

I don't have any hang up against or for specific words - it's how I see it in my case - but I've seen people many times position themselves on a forum as what they call a professional and over time not be as professional as they think or as skilled as they profess.

I'm on a learning curve as long as my life will carry me to completion - I know my strengths and weaknesses, I know when I'm motivated and when I'm not.

Training for personal confrontation with one's thoughts and feelings, one's motives and one's clarity of action as it relates to expressed intent has become one of my strengths. Since training is an important part of direct sales/network marketing it serves me well.

Mr. Werth's book "High Probability Selling" - I've not taken his course - has been one resource that has helped me confront myself in an attempt to improve, and I have over time. Not only his principles of trust, inquiry, conditions of satisfaction, high probability prospects only - BUT the dialogues in his book have helped me study my own dialogues over and over again which I still do.

Someone on this forum dismissed those dialogues as not being worth much - not for him at least which I take as being true. For me the dialogues - sales process communications - heve been like holding up a mirror for my own self-reflection.

That's how I like to train the best - not Mr. Werth's system as I'm not qualified to do that - maybe one day I will be - in a way that produces self reflection.

Have you defined your strengths and weaknesses, what's important to you, on this forum? I haven't been a consistent reader/poster. What makes you feel good about what you do? What do you do well? What self created adversity do you struggle with and why haven't you over come it, Houston? Those are the questions I like?

MitchM -MitchM

Those are questions I have not asked myself... yet. sn; -Houston

If you want to be successful. why haven't you asked these questions of yourself yet? Fear of what's to be uncovered? Haven't thought about them? Lack of motivation? Something else?

MitchM -MitchM

You had used ...on this forum... in your post right after your previous post where you disclosed similar information so I assumed that was the context. That being the context I'd say I don't feel I need to answer those questions to be successful. Based on your follow up question though I get the impression that isn't the context so I'd say yes I have and continue to wrestle with those questions. -Houston

I don't know what anyone has to answer for themselves to be successful, Houston. What I know is that these are universal questions and questions I have to answer for myself. I also believe they are important questions everyone answers in one way or another.

MitchM -MitchM

Perhaps you'd like to start a new thread with those questions, MitchM??? -Skip Anderson

I wouldn't but it would be a good one maybe. Personal confrontation and self reflection is a fascinating study.

MitchM -MitchM

I wasn't flaming you, Jacque.

But I do believe I have a right to my opinion regarding your book High Probability Selling, and your blatant self promotion in this forum. I won't repeat that opinion here because I already posted it earlier in this thread.

I wouldn't worry about it very much anyway, Jacques, because there are a handful of people who post here (and maybe a lot more than a handful) that are crazy in love with you and your book and think you are running an international business empire. In fact, sometimes it appears to me that the number one topic on SalesPractice.com is your book and your training. I think some balance is in order.

Peace. -Skip Anderson

Our topic on this thread has strayed! How about if we get back to the thread topic? Here was the original post:

"Have you ever closed a sale where you felt particularly wonderful afterwards? Maybe it was a long-shot situation and you won the business, or maybe there was some incredible objection you had to overcome and you did, or maybe it was a sale you were sure you lost that came to life at the last minute.

I'd like to hear stories about sales transactions that you closed where, when it was all done, you said to yourself, "I accomplished this and I feel awesome - a salesperson of less skill probably wouldn't have closed this sale, but I did it."

Does anybody have any stories to share?"

Thanks! -Skip Anderson

Well, im a total newb at selling...even though I am 40 yrs old, lol. I have just never been into self promotion but now I am a personal trainer and I didnt realize how much self promotion is involved.

So at first I just put up flyers in the gym thinking the people would come....they didnt though, lol.

I had a few clients...I dont even remember exactly how I got those clients but it wasnt thru any particular sales skills since I dont really have any yet.

So one night I was in the gym and this other trainer was with YET ANOTHER new client. Dude is all Mr Schmoozy personality and only trains cute females. he has that "hands on" approach which Im sure he would say "helps them identify the area being worked" but its funny he isnt hands on with the guys..

So I had been struggling with going up to people and introducing myself etc. But when I saw him with yet another client I got so pissed that I went and started talking to the 2 best looking girls in the gym. Next thing I know I had 2 more clients.

not exactly any model selling process but I was proud of myself for at least approaching them. -Fitness Trainer

That's the first step! You have to be willing to approach people, and it sounds like you are. That's a big step! Congrats! -Skip Anderson

I read the dialogue above between MitchM and Houston, and I see the paradox of similarity in the presense of opposite stances. Good stuff, and a credit to both of them. MitchM and Houston apparently have arrived at the same place, a wonderful place to be in career, and life. They share the common gift of being able to look inward. I don't know them, but I can't help seeing them as winners--whatever that would mean, separately, and in their own way. A refreshing dialogue for this site. -Joe Closer

"Have you defined your strengths and weaknesses, what's important to you, on this forum? I haven't been a consistent reader/poster. What makes you feel good about what you do? What do you do well? What self created adversity do you struggle with and why haven't you over come it, Houston? Those are the questions I like?

If you want to be successful. why haven't you asked these questions of yourself yet? Fear of what's to be uncovered? Haven't thought about them? Lack of motivation? Something else?" -- me MitchM

I am compelled by my nature - the way I began thinking in my teens - to ask those kinds of questions and can't think otherwise. It's also possible to consider the source of the questions and what that source means - what I call "my nature" or "the way I began thinking in my teens" is really an unexamined reply to myself in this post.

Having said all that, I'd suggest Fitness Trainer take a self inventory of these kinds of things in hopes of arriving at important conclusions that can make all the difference.

Is my self examination - self evaluation approach - necessary for everyone? Probably not. Not everyone who is successful or seeks success does this kind of analysis.

The other consideration aside from a psychological approach would be applying the same quality and depth of analysis to one's conclusions about sales, how to sell, why sell this way or that, what constitutes a sale's call and close, etc. Obviously there's also psychological considerations to that also.
-------------------
"Have you ever closed a sale where you felt particularly wonderful afterwards? Maybe it was a long-shot situation and you won the business, or maybe there was some incredible objection you had to overcome and you did, or maybe it was a sale you were sure you lost that came to life at the last minute.

I'd like to hear stories about sales transactions that you closed where, when it was all done, you said to yourself, "I accomplished this and I feel awesome - a salesperson of less skill probably wouldn't have closed this sale, but I did it."' - Skip

Two or three times I asked Rosanne if she's buy a combination of products from me and she declined. Over a two month period I asked a couple of more times. The third time she agreed.

A couple of days later she calld wanting her money back as I had promised if she didn't like it. I met her and offered her to sample a very similar product with a different flavor. She liked it and agreed to swap.

Eleven years later my friend is living with a life long health issue 95% symptom free from what might be debiliting. I never promised her anything other than good quality nutritional support.

There was nothing in that sale that required any more skill than asking a couple of times, taking no as a temporary answer and repeating the offer at a later date, and caring enough about her - not just a sale - to persist.

To this date my sales come from persistent question asking, and doing good follow-up none of which requiresmuch skill.

My conclusion is that unless one is engaged in complicated sales or negotiating I've never done, sales is a very simple activity. The biggest challenge might be removing a clutter of ideas and conclusions one has arrived at which complicates things and doesn't produce much sales success.

Another is looking at one's personal motivation to see what strength of drive and consequent action is working together.

MitchM







-MitchM

Okay, so let's see if we can get this thread back on track. Here was the original post on this thread:

Have you ever closed a sale where you felt particularly wonderful afterwards? Maybe it was a long-shot situation and you won the business, or maybe there was some incredible objection you had to overcome and you did, or maybe it was a sale you were sure you lost that came to life at the last minute.

I'd like to hear stories about sales transactions that you closed where, when it was all done, you said to yourself, "I accomplished this and I feel awesome - a salesperson of less skill probably wouldn't have closed this sale, but I did it."

Does anybody have any stories to share? -Skip Anderson

Does anybody have stories to share? -Skip Anderson

Yeah!

I sold cars at a Jeep and Chrysler dealership here in Charleston. I found a lady in the service department that had a paid-for 2002 PT Cruiser in the shop for routine maintenance. I walked her out to the lot to show her the new models but the whole time she told me repeatedly that she didn't want a car payment and how she got such a good deal on her's because she has a friend that gets her into the local auto auction. Maybe it was just a slow day, or maybe I was scared to death of my sales manager, but I just kept pushing forward. I found another PT Cruiser on our lot, same color but with leather, 1 year newer with 20,000 fewer miles, and sold it to her for payments of over $250 per month! I almost felt guilty because I feel like she really didn't need the car! But, maybe I was just doing everything right. -jamesrobertstclair

Thanks for the story, James.

Maybe she didn't need the car, but she obviously wanted it, or she wouldn't have purchased it!

My take on it is that you realized her objections may have been false objections (because they often are), and once the prospect worked through those false objections in her mind, she opened herself to what you were showing her.

Good salesmanship = happy customers in my opinion.

Who else has an AWESOME story about closing a sale? -Skip Anderson

I always feel great after the closing. :)

What I really like is finding just the right home for someone, handling all the details so that the transaction goes smooth, and then seeing excitement as we close the home and and they move in.

Yesterday, I closed with a young single lady who had started out looking in an area she didn't need to be in. She called me and we pulled off everything available in her price range. Went thru the "process" of finding the home that fit her the best. While in the closing she told me how happy she was that we found that home and how perfectly it fit her needs.

I know she has a great home that is perfect for her and is within her budget and I feel good about that! :) -waynelong

Last Sunday, It was my up and a lady walked into our location to look at our homes, I started to ask some questions to uncover her wants and needs, and she told me that everywhere she's been too, people are trying to put her into a house today, and that wasn't her intentions, she just wanted to look at her options,so I found out her price range, and explained to her that we had an inventory home in the back that based on her information I think the floorplan would work good for her, but it was an inventory, so we will just be looking at the particular floorplan, and that if she liked it, that we could build it for her in about 6 months, her time frame. After showing her this floorplan, she was showing buying signals big time, so I started to close her on that house, she said that she had a realtor, that she needed to disscuss some things with, so We called the realtor, and 15 minutes she arrived, looked at the house again, and said that her mother would need to see it, so I drove her to her mothers house, and showed her mother the house,2 hours later, we finished up the contract on that house. And to think she wasn't in the market for another 6 months. The truth is she wasn't shown the right fit, and once you make that connection, and you've meet all the wants/needs of a customer, it just makes sense to them to proceed with the transaction. I felt really good about this one for many reasons, but mostly because she was 45 and this was here first house, and she appreciated me for taking the time to show her what she wanted to buy, not what I wanted to sell.

~James -Mr. Cesario

Hi Skip,

My best selling story is when I sold myself in order to get my current position as Sales Manager. My boss left the company (in a pretty tacky way I might add...) so I applied for her position.

I did a complete makeover, I started dressing like a sales manager (our office is pretty casual), I reorganized my office to look like a manager's office. I started handling our bigger accounts (had no choice since I was the only one left doing the sales as there were only two of us) and this is where I got to my chance to shine. I pulled through a sales level that had not previously been possible to maintain with two of us and this impressed our president greatly. I arrived at my two interviews prepared. I presented a powerpoint on how I would increase sales as sales manager without the need for huge marketing expenditures, which is a trigger for our president.

There was another candidate who had a track record of increasing her company's sales from less than $1M to $11M in one year, so she ended up getting a position higher than me as director of sales and marketing. The president of the company was so impressed by my makeover and performance that he decided to promote me and give me the biggest salary increase he'd ever given in his life...

I felt awesome!! -Andrea