Closing Sales Techniques- Overcoming Objections

Closing Sales Techniques- Overcoming Objections

closing sales

Closing Sales: Lifeblood to Your Business

Overcoming Objections: 1 Step Closer to Closing Sales:

Being in the car sales business was always a love/hate scenario for me.  Although sales just seems to run in my blood, I despised the pressure & sales meetings that were (at times) downright scary!  You were asked point blank if you met your sales quota for the week, and if you didn’t, you better be prepared with a reason as to why & how you were going to reach your goal before the next week.  At times, there was a lot of sweat, vain popping, and nervous knee shaking that filled the room.  It felt like being in a pressure cooker!  Thankfully, there is always something positive to come away with from every situation I encounter in life.  If it weren’t for my car sales experience, I might never have learned an important part of closing sales: OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS!

If you’ve never been in sales before, you might be scratching your head wondering what I mean by ‘objections.’  I would define an objection as ‘an excuse a misinformed individual (sales lead, in this case) would make to escape the sale.’  Fortunately, in the car sales industry, they spend countless hours training me on how to overcome such an objection.  One important tip I learned from these teachings is that objections aren’t necessarily bad.  In fact, if you tune your listening ear to read beyond the surface of the objections, you will find that the customer is actually helping you qualify or disqualify themselves.  They are telling you whether or not it would be worth your time & energy to work with them.   Not to be mean, but some people have a mindset and will that you simply cannot change.  It is up to you to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.  Interpreting the objection will take practice, but will aid you closing your sales….which is just the beginning!  It will help you build a lifelong business with quality colleagues!

Closing Sales: Read In Between the Lines

Here are some of the most common objections (detours while closing sales) I hear when dealing with prospective customers on the phone:

*Objection #1: “Before I take a look at your website, how much is it (your product or business opportunity)?”

How to overcome: NEVER give them a price before you’ve built VALUE.  If you give in to this, and lead off with a price, you will most likely lose the sale!  Instead, redirect your prospect with a laugh: “It’s under a million dollars….ahahahaha!”  Once they are off the price, refocus them on visiting your website.  Reassure them that it is affordable, and that you would like them to become more informed.  If they insist on knowing the price after this, they may not be ready to join in your opportunity.  Those are usually the type of people that are looking to make a quick buck, and aren’t willing to invest in themselves, their eduction, or helping others.  Remember, you want to work with people that are willing to follow directions (and you should have directed them to a website & given them direction on the next step to get started).

*Objection #2: “Ummm….I need to talk to my wife/partner first.”  Granted, I believe in clear communication between spouses, but this line is overused as a way of escape!

How to overcome: “Hey Joe (or whatever their name is), I can respect that, but can I ask you a question….Do you want to seriously move forward, or are you just not interested.  Please just let me know because I’d hate to waste my time and yours.”  If they assure you they ARE interested, pin them down with an appointment within 24 hours.  If they admit that they really AREN’T interested, move on & wish them well.  Your time is too precious to try to force someone into an opportunity.   Don’t be desperate, take it as a red flag that it is a dead lead & go on to the next prospect.

*Objection #3: “I just don’t know.  How much money are YOU making, Mark?”

Just a few side notes on this one:  First, this is a rude comment made out of ignorance.  Sometimes people forget & just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.  Would you really start a conversation with someone & randomly ask how much they make?  Not likely.  It’s really not their business, but handle this one with care.  This may be a red flag of someone that is looking to get rich quick.  It also is a sign that they may not be able to make a decision themselves & they want you to lead them into making a choice.  It could possibly mean that they are a business jumper….one that jumps from business to business & never focuses on/works one business.  However, before you decide they are a person to avoid, you might want to test them further.

How to overcome: “I’m on my way to making 6 figures (this is not a lie…if you are diligently working towards this goal, you ARE on your way to making this kind of cash), but  it’s not about what I am making, it’s about how much money you can make!”  Again, redirect them to your website, get them informed, and then you will see if they are serious about investing in your product/business.

Closing Sales Takes Practice & Patience…Don’t Get Discouraged!

To sum it up, if you are serious about building your own business, you have to realize that objections come with the territory.  Not everyone will like you, or your product, or will say ‘YES’ to the opportunity you are proposing.  However, you can’t let that effect you personally.  You need to keep in mind that objections can be useful & enlightening when considering the type of people you want to work with.  Listen intently to the objections, try to overcome them if possible, and if you cannot break down the objection, don’t be afraid to let go of the lead.

You’ve heard it said before, ABC = Always Be Closing…this is a brilliant idea!  I have an even better suggestion, ABH = Always Be Helping.  You are in your business to make money, obviously.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, you are in your business to help others!  It’s not just about the dollar…that is just the icing on the cake.  Imagine: You have the power to help others help themselves!  Your business opportunity/product may be just the thing they’ve been looking for!  Granted, there are some that don’t want to be helped…but by understanding objectives, and navigating around them, you will be able to find the few that DO want to be helped.  Those are the ones you want to inform so that they can make a positive decision for their business future.

If you have any questions about closing sales, please give me a call at 909.528.4079, or visit me at www.ibuzzman.com.

Closing sales is the lifeblood of your business!

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Jun 22, 2011 | 6 comments | View Post
GOING BACK TO THE BASICS

GOING BACK TO THE BASICS

Have you ever been plugging away, finding success in your daily profession, and then turn around to find yourself in a slump? Well, this past week was one of those type of weeks for me…I was definitely stuck in a slump. It seems I was unorganized, frazzled, impatient, and just disheartened. My work frustration trickled down into my family relationships, and I found I wasn’t being a good communicator or patient husband/father that I usually strive to be. I wondered what was off…how could I work so much and find such limited results in one week?!

Starting fresh this week, I went back to my morning routine of prayer/meditation on God’s word. I analyzed what I was doing before that was working so well for me before this past week of complete insanity. Then I pulled out one of my tried & true favorites: “Zig Ziglar on Selling.’

If you are in the sales industry (or any industry…come to think of it), and have never had the honor of reading up on Mr. Zig Ziglar, you need to stop reading my blog, go to the nearest library, and check him out! The man is a wealth of information, and inspires me to the core. I can literally read his book over & over, and come away with a complete epiphany each time.

Let me quote Zig on what he calls ‘A Fact of Life’:

“One of the basic truisms of selling is that “slumps” will occur. You are going to hit those plateaus where nothing seems to work very well personally or professionally….Inevitably, those that slump get away from the basics…I have discovered the surefire way to end the slump: RETURN TO FUNDAMENTALS WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE.
The primary reason we stay in a slump is a failure to be willing to return to the fundamentals. Basically speaking, we get caught in a rut, and as many of you know, a rut is nothing but a grave with the ends kicked out! It is one thing to get in a rut, but it is an entirely different thing to STAY in a rut…(Ziglar on Selling, Pg. 29)”

Like I said, I read this book more than once, and it was still a complete eye opener. What am I good at? What was I focusing on before that helped me see results? For me personally, it was video marketing and the utilization of Ibuzz pro that retired me from Corporate America. I always enjoy venturing off and learning new, cutting edge technology that will help me in my business, but what has happened is that I have ventured so far off that I lost the ‘basics’ of my business. I’ve been chasing after too many rabbits (so to speak), and am having trouble catching any! So, I’m going back to my old techniques that worked for me in the past & am going to manage my time so that my research of other tools doesn’t interfere with the process that works for me.

Like Zig said, it’s one thing to get caught in a rut…we all do that from time to time. It’s staying in the rut that is dangerous! I’m glad my rut was short lived & only lasted a week! I’m so thankful that this is the start of a new week…one I feel will be filled with successes, organization (yes, I cleaned out my office:)…my Sunday ritual), and a clear head! In a nutshell, if there is any advice I can pass along, it is this: If you find yourself currently in a slump, don’t worry! Get up, dust yourself off, and GO BACK TO THE BASICS!

‘See you at the TOP!’ :)
Mark Stephens
ibuzzman.com
www.ilovethisrecession.com
909.528.4079

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Feb 01, 2011 | 1 comment | View Post
Making $ On-line: Step 1- Overcome Fear!

Making $ On-line: Step 1- Overcome Fear!

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. -Henry Ford

Retiring from ‘Corporate America’ and embarking on the new adventure of self-employment was literally a step of faith. The car business was heading down the tubes fast, and I knew that if I didn’t find a Plan B quickly, I was headed down the same direction. I thank God that he gave me the courage to head home one day after work to seek out a fresh opportunity. I knew absolutely nothing about running a business on-line (I barely learned how to send an e-mail a few years earlier), but I knew in my heart that if I put my mind to it, had faith, and worked it hard…my life would change for the better. Now that I’ve been working from home for a few years now, and giving my wife the opportunity to stay home with our children, I can honestly say it was all worth it!

So what was my first step in becoming a successful, happily self-employed, internet marketer? OVERCOMING FEAR. I had grown up believing that going to school, getting a job, and paying my bills was all that there was to life. Status quo. It was that simple. In comes the recession…and it blew that theory all to pieces. Left and right, people were getting laid off, losing their homes, becoming overcome by fear.

Sadly, many of these fearful souls are calling me, asking for a solution…a Plan B. I tell them that they have to be willing to work hard, commit to a plan, be trainable. Many times, I hear all the right answers…about their zeal, excitement, and promised dedication. I want to believe, for their benefit, that they are sincere, and at the time, they seemingly are.

So what happened when they stop calling, they drop out of the business, disconnect with the team training? FEAR. It’s most often the culprit. They weren’t seeing results ‘fast enough’, they talked to their spouse who encouraged them to just look for another paycheck to paycheck job, they gave up their dreams of a new life.

I wish I could save these people from their fears, but unfortunately, you can’t save them all…as much as you try. I am here to help the ones that are willing to help themselves first. I’m finding that many of the ones that are unable to help themselves suffer a poverty mentality…what I call ‘Top Ramen Mentality.’ They are the ones that work very quietly for their money, they tiptoe through life fearing if there will be enough money to pay the bare minimum bills for the upcoming month, and they feel trapped in their job. They make short sighted decisions with their money because fear drives their purchases. They work for money, rather than letting their money work for them. Why do they feel caged in a job they hate? They fear that if they let go of it & try something new, they might fail. They are fearful of taking risks. They are fearful of doing something different then what their own parents did. Fear…fear…fear.

So how do you end the cycle of FEAR? The answer is ‘CHANGE YOUR MINDSET!’ Stop hanging out with individuals who have no goals, constantly complain, yet don’t do anything to change their circumstances. Seek out wisdom from people who are succeeding on their own (my book this month is ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’…what a wealth of information! I’m reading it for a second time & still finding golden nuggets! The Bible has always been a constant read for me…Proverbs it all up!). Find a team that will aid in your success, train you in on-line marketing, and be a source of encouragement & direction (like my 5k Inner Circle Team…we are here to help SERIOUS marketers who are willing to rise above fear). We must change our thinking & BELIEVE we can rise to new heights. Believing is the first step, after that, it’s the putting faith into action that will bring change.

If you are coachable, are ready to take a leap of faith and work for yourself, and are looking for a mentor on-line, give me a call…Mark Stephens 909.528.4079. Visit www.5ktrainer.com. May God give you the courage to take the first step!

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Jan 18, 2011 | 8 comments | View Post
5K Inner Circle: Taking it to the NEXT LEVEL

5K Inner Circle: Taking it to the NEXT LEVEL

EXCITING NEWS!!! Team Mark and Jerry are taking it to the next level! For those of you that are familiar with us & have joined us on our weekly team calls (Tues. nights 6 pm Pacific/ 9pm Eastern), you know our dedication to serve marketers. We have been providing training to business owners on how to market on-line, how to dominate the search engines, how to close sales, etc.

We now are going one step further & are closing people’s sales for them! What other on-line marketing team will do that for you? This is cutting edge! If you’re interested, check us out at: www.5kman.com.

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Oct 19, 2010 | 3 comments | View Post
When All Else Fails: Persevere!

When All Else Fails: Persevere!

‘Many historians feel that one of Winston Churchill’s greatest speeches was given at the graduation ceremony at Oxford University. He had worked on the speech for hours. When the moment finally came, Churchill stood up to the cheering crowd, and in a strong, clear voice shouted just three words, “NEVER GIVE UP!” He paused a few seconds and then shouted the words again, “NEVER GIVE UP!” He then reached for his hat and slowly walked off the podium, satisfied that he had told the graduates the messages they needed to succeed.’
-Michele Borba, Ed.D.

Perseverance. That’s the character trait my son is currently learning in his Karate class…the character trait of a Black Belt. Of course, he just started out at the bottom with a white belt, so perseverance is something he’s going to need to develop as he longs to become a ‘Master.’ I love his enthusiasm, and hope that the journey along the way will leave him with a satisfaction that he reached his goal. It’s going to take a lot of work…perhaps some good ol’ blood, sweat, and tears. It’s going to take some diligence. But anything worth while is worth working towards.

The same holds true for business. I see so much excitement from newcomers joining into the latest ‘MLM’ or home based business opportunity, but down the road wonder what happened to them along the way. Their passion fizzled out…or worse, they burned out (or on some occasions, they joined a corrupt start up company that took their money & ran). They try to jump from business to business hoping to find the ‘best fit.’

Funny thing is, sometimes the best opportunity for us is the one staring us in the face. It’s the one that we get into, but don’t stay in long enough to build. Business Success (or any for that matter) takes time…and a lot of effort. There will be bumps along the road…people who promised to work alongside us will burn out & drop out. Will we jump ship at the slightest sight of opposition or feeling of doubt? Or will we keep on working it, giving it our personal best, even when we’ve reached exhaustion?

Christopher Morley said it best: ‎’The big shots are only the little shots who keep shooting.’

Read that again. Let it sink in.

The great leaders of our industry did not know everything. They did not have superhero powers. They did not have all the goods…they simply did the best with what they had and they PERSEVERED! NEVER GIVE UP!

Get up daily with an attitude of gratitude (I start my day in prayer & meditation on God’s Word). Say aloud to yourself, “I CAN do this!” Find a mentor who will inspire you to go the distance! And when you feel like you can’t give anymore, GET UP and do it again!

If you’d like to get off the fence, and start working towards your financial/career dream, join Team Mark and Jerry…we are a group of COMMITTED marketers who will help you succeed. www.teammarkandjerry.com OR give me a call: Mark Stephens 909.528.4079.

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Oct 15, 2010 | 3 comments | View Post
Mentorship in Marketing

Mentorship in Marketing

Mentorship in Marketing: Do You Have a Mentor?

‘A wise man will hear & increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.’ ~Proverbs 1:5

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life & my career, it’s that having a mentor is crucial to one’s success. How are you going to learn & grow if you don’t have someone to gain wisdom from? Along my journey, I’ve found several people that have acted as a mentor in one way or another (sometimes even when they were unaware of it). In marketing, I’ve gained a wealth of wisdom from individuals such as Stephen Pierce, my good friend, Ivan Harris, and my business partner, Jerry Maurer. We all have different strengths, talents, and experiences that we share & draw from each other.

Mentoring in Marketing: So how do you find a good mentor?

Marketing

The Right Mentor Will Inspire You!

I have narrowed down 4 key components that make up a great trainer:

1. Find someone who won’t put you in the ‘Witness Protection Program.‘ What I mean by this is, be cautious of self-proclaimed ‘gurus’ on the internet who want nothing more than to take your $ and run! I’ve been there, done that. When you have someone pursuing you to close the sale, and then you don’t hear from them (or have trouble contacting them), you know that is NOT a quality mentor. They are more concerned with selfish gain, than with aiding you in your own success. Stay away! Research, research, research each mentor you’re considering & go with the one that has the most ‘added value’- according to who they’ve helped.

2. Find someone with a COMPATIBLE PERSONALITY. Not everyone jives, or has the same outlook on life. Even if a trainer has a wealth of information, if you’re not on the same page as them (personality wise), it’s not going to work. With Team Mark & Jerry, there are some team members who feel more comfortable working closely with Jerry than myself…and visa versa. Do I take offense that they prefer Jerry in some cases? No! I encourage people to find a trainer/mentor who fits their own personality. There’s nothing worse than trying to work with a person that you bump heads with!

3. Find a Mentor who will invest at least 2 hours a week into helping you succeed! Is this mentor you’re considering too busy to meet with you weekly (via phone, internet, or whatever means necessary)? If the answer is yes, save your money! It’s crucial that you have a mentor who can evaluate where you are in your learning, encourage and train you in your weakest areas, and keep you accountable on your progress & goals. That is what good teachers do! They don’t simply take your $, throw out information, & move on without checking back to see if you’re succeeding!

4. Find a Marketing Mentor who knows how & can teach you how to DOMINATE the Search Engines & BRAND YOURSELF! With business today, internet marketing is the way to make $$$. It is crucial to learn how to get on top of the Search Engines (Yahoo, Google, YouTube, etc…). You want to know how to brand yourself in your industry if you want to take your business to the next level!

Mentorship in Marketing: Are You Ready?

Now that we’ve touched on finding a mentor, let’s focus on YOU. After all, it takes 2 to Tango! You can’t expect a mentor to do all the work! Success is also going to be based on what you DO with the information you’ve learned! Here are 3 questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Are you TEACHABLE? So many people will defensively answer ‘yes.’ Take the time to really think this through. Are you humble enough to admit that you need help? Are you willing to absorb new information from someone who has already traveled the road you’re on? This may seem like a no-brainer to you, but I cannot tell you how many times I’ve listened to those I’m training, and told them what adjustments they need to make, only to hear, ‘I don’t know…I like doing it this way instead.’ Really? If you already have attained success in your business, why did you call me? I’ve learned that I can only help those who genuinely WANT to helped. They have to be willing to step out of their comfort zones, and follow the instructions I give.

2. Are you ready to TAKE ACTION? Sam Ewig said it best when he stated, ‘Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.’ You cannot take information and then refuse to put it into action. Building a successful business does NOT happen overnight & it will take a lot of energy and hard work. You have to decide whether you are just going to talk the talk, or if your willing to WALK THE WALK!

3. Are you DISCIPLINED? In MLM businesses, I run into countless individuals who jump from business to business. In fact, I get exhausted listening to so many new pitches daily…people wanting to recruit me into their ‘new, cutting edge opportunity.’ How will you ever know if something works, if you only put it into action for a short time? Again, you can’t have the ‘get rich quick’ mentality & expect everything to come easily to you. There are times you are going to feel exhausted, intimidated, doubtful, emotional…the list goes on and on! You have to be determined to stay the course & reap the long term benefits. Remember what Aristotle declared: ‘We are what we REPEATEDLY DO. Excellence then, is not an act but a HABIT.’

In a nutshell, marketing in this economy is not a small task. If you want to bring your business to the peak of success, you must find mentors to help you along the way…people who are willing to walk alongside you & train you in your business. In turn, you must be teachable, put your learning to action, and be disciplined to follow through repeatedly.

If you are interested in a team of Internet Marketing Mentors, check out my websites: www.teammarkandjerry.com
www.5ktrainer.com God bless you!

Mark Stephens, Marketing Mentor

Marketing Your Business

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Oct 06, 2010 | 7 comments | View Post
IBUZZ PRO

IBUZZ PRO

COLD CALLING. Even the phrase makes me shudder and brings back haunting memories of my car sales past. Even though I grew thick skin and began to master the art of cold calling, I still believe time is too precious to spend turning a cold call into a hot business prospect. When car sales (along with the economy) began to take a dive, I made a crucial discovery that led me out of the car business and allowed me to work for myself at home. This discovery was a little tool called IBuzz Pro.

In a nutshell, IBuzz Pro is a built-in call center that allows you to set up a campaign and reach targeted people in your own area of expertise. To set up your campaign, you record a message in your voice, copy & paste your phone numbers (leads), press a ‘Go’ button, and IBuzz Pro will make the phone calls for you. From that point, the people on the other end of the phone will have the choice to ‘press 1 for more info, or press 9 to get off the lead list.’ Within 30 minutes, you will be receiving phone calls of people interested in your company/tool.

There are three key components that make IBuzz Pro successful:

1. Leads: if you decide to get into IBuzz Pro, ask the seller a crucial question: ‘Where am I going to get my leads from?’ If you hear, ‘through the back office,’ RUN! Not to insult the company, but in my experience, the leads in the back office aren’t high quality. I’ve found another supplementary tool that provides me with unlimited leads.

2. Your Message: if you don’t have a powerful & unique message, you can use IBuzz Pro and still be wasting money. As I’ve said, IBuzz Pro is a TOOL. No, it won’t think for you. This is where your marketing training/experience will come into play. Many marketers copy the messages already being used. I’ve found this to be a waste of time. If you want to get a high return on your investment, you’re going to need to be DIFFERENT! My best advice is BE YOURSELF. Each of us has something unique to offer…we didn’t come from the same cookie cutter, so why should we pretend to be something we’re not? If you are yourself, and believe in your product, that honest passion will come through in your message.

3. FTC Compliant Leads: Make sure that the phone numbers you’re using are FTC compliant. These should be business owners you’re contacting; not residences. If you are not in compliance, you can be shut down altogether. If you need more information on this, contact me with your questions.

I cannot express how much time, energy, and stress IBuzz Pro has saved me. Let’s face it, that old saying ‘Time is Money’ is very true! If I relied on my old method of cold calling, I wouldn’t be able to afford to work from home. I’d still be spinning my wheels and seeing limited success. This tool has been a life saver & I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reviving their business.

Getting leads For MRMI Fast!

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Jan 21, 2010 | 10 comments | View Post

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