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  Newsletter :   Closing More Sales   Posted Date :   6/15/2005 12:00:00 AM
June 2005 Business Made Simple
Corporate Toolbelt Newsletter
In This Issue
 

An Opinion - Leadership

I was working on my book, Leadership Lessons Learned, and thinking about the many, many approaches to leadership.

I was talking with a fellow author, 17 books and counting, and he made an interesting observation. He said, ""Steve, you are the only one out there with a 'holistic' or total approach to the leadership issue.""

That got me thinking. I am a believer in providing a total solution and a complete approach to leadership.

Everyone else wants to compartmentalize leadership skills or restrict thinking to a few basic thoughts. It is like looking at a mosaic picture made up of 1,000 tiles but focusing on only 7 of them.

If I was to practice every leadership principle I have read about, I would have to somehow integrate them into a cohesive model and then determine a way to make it work!

I guess I would start with the 7 Effective Habits and then combine those with the 1,161 Lifestyle Values while following the 25 Best Procedures and integrating the 8 Best Behavior modifications while including the power of the 10 Best Adaptations and add in the 12 Power Principles while not forgetting the 15 Most Lasting Traditions.

Woooooo, I've lost track. What was I going to do first?

Perhaps my total or 'holistic' approach is a good idea, and a little easier to implement!

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Welcome to my June Newsletter! I hope you find the information and insights make your life and business more productive. Let me know how I can help you!


Closing More Sales

Is your team closing all the sales they should? Are you exceeding your sales targets? Are your sales targets too low because you can't hit the real ones?

All top organizations ask these questions, you should too! If you don't know your closing percentage, exactly and by salesperson, then you have no idea how well your team is really performing.

No matter whether you run a retail business, are B2B direct, wholesaler, or even a combination, you must measure your sales closing ratio. If you can measure it, you can manage it.

It is amazing how easy it is to set up these metrics and track them. If you are a smaller business you can do it manually on a simple Excel spreadsheet.

Closing the sale does not mean just asking for the sale. But it still amazes me how many salespeople do not even ask. Overcoming objections, listening, and having multiple tools at hand is what often separates good closers from weak ones.

Does your sales staff know an assumptive close, a secondary close, order form close, referral close, the 'T' close, the invitation and others? Or do they ""wing it""?

Closing should be a natural by-product of the sales process. When you genuinely try to determine the customer's needs and fulfill them with the best possible solution, it is an easy transition to close the sale.

Many sales people lose track of the sales sequence that must occur to come to a successful conclusion; but, that is for another newsletter. Remember these closing tips:

  1. Track the closing ratio by salesperson
  2. Review closing ratios by salesperson, by team
  3. Review closing techniques with the team
  4. Practice at least 4-5 different closing techniques
  5. Practice finding customer needs and designing solutions

Want to improve your sales team and its performance??? Having trouble making the numbers??? Contact: steveburgess@ichoose2be.com for further information and an initial discussion.

If you found this newsletter to be of value please pass it on to others. Your email address will NEVER be sold, rented, borrowed, leased, become part of a debenture, well, you get the idea.


Steve's Speaking Schedule

On Thursday, June 16th, I will be speaking to MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group) at their dinner meeting to discuss ""Alignment for Growth & Profit"". The event is being held at the Airport Radisson, Irvine at 6 pm.

On Monday, June 27th, I will be speaking to the Del Mar Chamber of Commerce on ""Strategic Alignment for Growth"". The event begins at noon and will be held at Red Tracton's restaurant at 550 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, CA.

Future Engagements:

Author & Book Marketing Conference, September 2005 and many, many more

Need a speaker for your event?

Contact Steve: steveburgess@ichoose2be.com -or- call (949) 831-7136


Publications - Now & Later

Stay tuned for the release date of my co-authored The Enlightened Path.

Also, my friend, Greg Reid has authored his second book, Positive Impact. I recommend you pick up a copy through the normal channels or click on the link provided to read more about it and decide for yourself.

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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