The work you do as a sales professional can be divided into two categories: what’s fun and what isn’t. The tasks that are fun get done right away, even sooner than needed. The drudgery gets put on the back burner, and too often you forget to turn the gas on. In other words, you procrastinate --- sometimes endlessly. How do you beat procrastination:?

1. Do what you hate first. Start your workday by first doing the task you most dread. Schedule the least enjoyable tasks to be done during the time of the day when you are most energetic. Never put them at the end of the day; it’s too easy at five o’clock to say, “Oh well, I can always do that tomorrow.”
2. .Make an accountability contract. Find a friend who’ll do this with you until you’re both cured of procrastination. Every morning one of you calls the other. You each name the one thing you least want to do that day. Before the end of the day, each of you must report back that you have accomplished that task.
3. Follow the 24-hour rule. Within one day of receiving any new communication requiring action ---mail, e-mail, phone calls, requests, and so on --- take at least one step toward responding to it. Better yet, do one thing on each new task the minute you learn of it.
4. Visualize completion. Instead of thinking about how bad you feel that you have to do something, think about how great you’ll feel when you get it done. The more real you can make the feeling of accomplishment, the quicker you’ll start making it happen.
5. Announce you deadlines. Make public commitments to starting and finishing unpleasant tasks. You’re less likely to accept embarrassment in front of others than you are to let yourself down. For instance, tell your boss each morning how many cold calls you plan to make.
6. Divide and conquer. Break especially difficult or complex jobs into manageable pieces. Work on one piece each day.
7. Ask for clarification. If you’re putting off a task for your boss or a client, a lack of information may be your major stumbling block. Do you need more explanation of the nature of the assignment or the purpose behind it? Ask for it.

© Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved

Attend a Class on Friday September 22nd from 9 to 11 am. Call 347-385-8500.

Jeremy Rawitz

Situation:

You sell various chemical components used in the production of PVC pipe. The buyer for one of your oldest customers, with whom you've had an excellent relationship for several years tells you that he has been approached by one of your competitors who is offering better pricing on a few of the products you supply to them. Its not much of a price difference but he wants to know if you'd match the price.

Your company has done, and continues to do a lot for this customer to maintain the relationship and help the customer build their business. Some of the things your company does include: routinely bailing the customer out with "rush" shipments without assessing a "rush" charge; extend quantity pricing on orders that don't meet quantity discount requirements; and participate in monthly Quality Assurance Reviews with the customer to help identify ways to improve quality and reduce costs. None of your competitors extend the level of service and participation your company provides.

What should you do?

• Give in and match the prices. After all, you don't want to take the chance of losing a good customer.
• Stand your ground. If you give in on one or two items you'll only be opening the door to negotiate lower prices on all the items you sell to the customer.
• Remind the buyer about all you do for his company and ask him to reconsider his request.

Answer this week.

Copyright 2006 Sandler Sales Inc.

Call about 8 hour Sales Boot Camp on (4 hours sections) on Tuesdays September 19th and 26th.  SBN members get $200 off.

Jeremy Rawitz

347-385-8500

Send me some literature!

Ever hear that one? Know how many times that turns into a sale, or even an appointment? I don't know about you, but when someone asks for literature, or brochures, I know its time to ask the real question.

The fact that most people do not read sales information they get in the mail, or e-mail, should be enough to let you know where the opportunity might be heading. Most of the time it turns into a chase for a meeting, that turns into a chase for the decision, that turns into a "no" or a "you give up" scenario.

Either way, first learn what is behind the "send me some literature" request and you will get enough information to decide if its an opportunity worth working.

When you contact prospects and request an appointment, it’s easy for them to ask for literature first, before committing to the appointment.

Many salespeople believe that sending literature will pave the way to the appointment and eventually a sale. However, the practice may actually create roadblocks rather than eliminate them.

Why? If you send the literature, when you call back to schedule the appointment, it’s now even easier for prospects to put you off.

They tell you that they didn’t have a chance to look at the literature yet, but they’ll call you just as soon as they do - if your product or service is something in which they are interested.

If a prospect requests literature, you can suggest that it might make sense to first meet and discuss relevant issues and concerns, after which you will supply whatever literature is appropriate.

While literature does have a place in the selling process, creating roadblocks is not one of them.

Jeremy Rawitz

Sales Strategy Corp.

Join a free class Friday September 22nd 9 am - 11am @ 1375 Broadway - register at www.ssc.sandler.com or call 347-385-8500

© Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.