What's the magic secret?

I've just been thrown out of a dream job because I couldn't sell anything.

I don't mind cold calling, in fact I like it. I'm pretty good with product features but am no helpdesk brain. I have no ego. I listen to the person I'm talking with and quickly model their speech tempo. I ask people what we need to do to close the deal. My philosophy is that is there's a jerk in this conversation, it won't be me. I speak to people as if they were friends. I articulate. I am careful not to blab at length. I do everything that I ever heard or read that I should do.

And I can't sell anything.

What's the secret?

Sometimes being the nice guy isn't going to get you where you want to be. This is especially true in sales. That doesn't mean that you have to be a total jerk, though there are very successful sales people that behave that way.

If you really want to be in sales, look at this job loss as a test to see if you really want to do this. If you do, you'll start doing the "heavy lifting." That is taking sales seminars, reading the articles posted on SalesPractice.com, etc. Buying books on selling and reading them. The magic dust is a result of learning. You can do it the easy way, by learning from those that came before you, or you can do it the hard way by reinventing the wheel through trial and error.

Your choice. Good luck with all of this.

Greg

Dr W, that's a difficult question without knowing more about you. So let me ask you this: Why do you think you haven't been able to sell? Do you have any clues? Have you gotten any feedback from managers or mentors or prospects? Please share...

Skip, the whole idea here is that I don't have a clue.

I know for sure that I can't do 40-50 calls a day and fill out from two to five forms for each call. And answer product questions and other sundry overhead. By 3pm at that rate I'm in a coma.

I know for sure that I shouldn't spend my time racking up five calls and emails to sexy@yoohoo.com, like management says I should rack up five calls and emails to every lead.

I know for sure that I should take the advice of the teachers in this biz, as evidenced in my original post. In fact I'd sign up for in-person training if I could find someone who could actually evaluate what I do and identify what my specific problem is (not some dummy who is just going to obliviously recite the same basic principles to me as he obliviously recites to everyone else).

Thanks for the additional info.

Originally Posted by Dr Why I know for sure that I can't do 40-50 calls a day and fill out from two to five forms for each call. And answer product questions and other sundry overhead. By 3pm at that rate I'm in a coma. I know for sure that I shouldn't spend my time racking up five calls and emails to sexy@yoohoo.com, like management says I should rack up five calls and emails to every lead.

Dr. W, are there others in your company that do what you do? Are others able to do 40-50 calls a day? And fill out the 2-5 forms for each call? And answer product questions? Are they in a coma by 3pm?

Does management's strategy of five calls and emails to every lead work for others? Is there a track record of success with that strategy? Or is this a new strategy?

What degree does your willingness or lack of willingness play into the situation? Are you giving it your best shot? I'm trying to understand if it's just that you hate your job, or hate your boss, or if it's truly impossible for a human being to do what management is asking you to do. Since I don't work in your company, I don't know the answers to those questions, but you might.

What say you?!?

Do others make as many calls? No. I spent whole days leaving messages while others seemed to talk to live humans every time they touched a phone. Does everyone else have to do the paperwork? Yes. Is everyone else in a coma before the day is through? No. There were guys who could demonstrate software online, fill out the forms, and answer IM questions at the same time. They might be doing the New York Times crossword puzzle too for all I know.

I know this: I can't hold up like the others do (I'm not a kid). I liked the job and would have loved it if I were successful. The people around me were great. My boss wasn't real forthcoming with advice "Go sell stuff" but we liked each other.

If the ability to play two fast videogames at once for eight hours every day is required for this job I guess I'll never make it, but maybe I'm just doing it wrong. In fact I know I am.

I am looking for a legit sales trainer...

W

Do you ask for the order?

A closing question is any question you ask that confirms that you are getting the order. Modeling, being conversational, being likable, all these things are part of being a good sales person but it is super critical that you ASK for the business.

Asking the client what "we have to do" as a general method of seeking information, what is called an open probe or open ended question, is not the same thing as laying it on the line. And, by going for it (the order) you can at least discern why you are not going to get the business (if you were not), the other way you learn nothing and go hungry.

This topic is one that we could spend an hour on ... be honest, did you try to close? If the answer is NOT ENOUGH, you now know why you got too few clients.

It is this honesty that is the beginning ...

And, if you have a little concern about how you are going to learn what you don't know, give me a call, I will teach you how to sell. It would be my pleasure!

Good luck.

I think you can sell. I think you can be at the top of your company. Don't give up. There's not a person in sales who has not gone through a "dry spell" and questioned his or hers ability. If you're not afraid of getting on the phone and/or talking with people, then it's just a matter of time before everything comes together. You may not like where your at, so look for other opportunities. Do you have the product that you really want to sell?

Before I could make a suggestion I would like to know a few things.

Tell me about the position you just lost.

What type of selling? Telemarketing, Incoming Calls, Outgoing Calls, or Business to Business Personal Selling or Calling People at Home.

Do customer contact you or do you contact them.

What is the product or service you sell.

With this basic information I can begin to offer some advice or possibly ask you a few more questions for clarification.

Have a great day!

Sell4alivn