2. Strategic Selling, Planning and Prospecting
Setting Goals
Short-term and long-term selling
Develop Client History
Use Competitive Information
Develop Editorial and Reader Positioning – what’s your
story?
3. Presentations
Goal: to generate a focused change of ideas…to deepen
dialogue
“…it’s hard to have interaction if you are simply giving
a speech. Bringing visuals along can open a dialogue
between you and your customer and provide points of
reference throughout your presentation.”
former publisher & CEO
4. Presentations
Four questions to ask prior to creating a presentation
1. Am I going to talk about something the client is
interested in?
2. Has the client heard this before?
3. Does the presentation fit the client’s needs and the
allotted time for the meeting?
4. Will this presentation encourage dialogue?
5. Presentations
Preparation is almost as important as the delivery.
Determine the goal and objective of the presentation.
Don’t try to cover more than one or two key points.
Determine in advance how much time you will have
6. Presentations
Preparation is almost as important as the delivery.
Organize the presentation.
A good sales presentation starts with a quick review of
the customer’s goals and objectives.
7. Presentations
Start by asking a couple questions.
Grab the client’s attention early.
Be memorable. Use visuals.
Get to the point quickly.
Constantly monitor how attentive your audience is.
8. Presentations
Start by asking a couple questions.
Grab the client’s attention early.
Be memorable. Use visuals.
Get to the point quickly.
Constantly monitor how attentive your audience is.
9. Proposals
What is the purpose of a sales proposal? It provides a
good way of documenting and reminding a buyer:
1. Of their need to change (the original problem)
2. How to deal with the consequences of buying
3. Why they should buy from you (the value)
4. Why he/she should buy now
10. Proposals
What should go into a sales proposal?
Our understanding of your situation – executive
summary of conversations that have taken place
Method and approach (i.e. the solution and benefits)
Associated timing and costs
Next steps
11. Proposals
Common problems:
Many proposals are unsuccessful. A poorly developed
proposal can sink a sale by showing the buyer that you
don’t really understand their requirements.
Often sales proposals are presented at the wrong time
in the buying/selling process or they are done instead
of closing the sale verbally.
12. Sales Follow-up
Questions to ask yourself before you write a sales follow-
up:
1. What do you want the client to do as a result of
reading this communication?
2. What benefit are you offering the client if he does
what you want him to do?
3. How can you prove that doing what you ask the client
to do will result in the benefits you have stated?
13. Sales Follow-up
1. Build trust.
2. Get to bona fides, quick.
3. Make it memorable.
4. Include a call to action.
14. The Power of YES:
Overcoming Objections
ADVANCED MAGAZINE INSTITUTE 2012
15. “Never allow a person to tell you no who
doesn't have the power to say yes.”
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
AMERICAN FIRST LADY
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16. The Power of YES:
Overcoming Objections
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
*BUYER EXPECTATIONS
*UNCOVER INTERESTS/MOTIVES
*POWER OF YES STRATEGY
*POWER OF YES STATEMENTS
*SELL THROUGH OBJECTIONS
*YES APPROACH BENEFITS
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18. Sales Goal
INITIATE
COLLABORATIVE,
BUSINESS-BUILDING
DISCUSSIONS THAT
PRODUCE SOLUTIONS-
ORIENTED SALES
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19. Make Yourself A Valuable Resource
Adversarial posture
Same old, same old
Short-term benefit to
you
Inflexibility
Boilerplate offerings
Take it or leave it
attitude
Retort to previous
objections
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20. Make Yourself A Valuable Resource
An understanding of
their business and the
issues they are facing
Questions that engage
the buyer
Empathy for hard
economic times
Shared solutions for
beating the system
(e.g. you both have
competitors)
Reasons why a relationship
with you is better for them.
Platform for future
business
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21. Make Yourself A Valuable Resource
Understand your
client’s business
Risk and success factors
Products and processes
Identify needs that
client has not
articulated
Co-create solutions
with client
Earn the right to ask
for the client’s
business
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22. The Value of Hypothesis
IF YOU DON’T KNOW
WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO A
SPECIFIC CLIENT,
HYPOTHESIZING IS
A GOOD WAY TO GET
THEM TO
ARTICULATE THEIR
NEEDS, INTERESTS
OR FEARS.
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23. Uncover Buyer Interests & Motives
Make a series of
observations about
things you both
(could) know and
likely agree upon
Listen carefully
What is important
Concerns and fears
Problems
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24. Power of “Yes”
RECOGNIZE THAT
SOME INTERESTS
ARE SHARED AND
SOME ARE OPPOSED.
THE ‘POWER OF YES’
APPROACH
CONCENTRATES ON
AREAS WHERE BOTH
PARTIES CAN AGREE.
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25. ‘Power of Yes’ Strategy
Focus on interests
behind positions
Shared, opposed,
differing
Develop options for
mutual gain
Expand vs. divide
existing pie
25
26. ‘Power of Yes’ Strategy
Results
Helps client become
involved
Helps client save face
(when/if changing
historical response)
Helps client yield to
reason, not pressure
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27. ‘Power of Yes’ Strategy
Soft Hard
Relationship Adversarial
building Goal:
Goal: winning
agreement Behavior:
Behavior: Dig Heels in
Flexible Hold to
Provide options position
Amicable Confrontation
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28. ‘Power Of Yes’ Statements
You compete with ‘xyz’ brand for customers
Your point of difference vs. your competitors is:
a)
b)
Your customer profile looks something like:
a)
b)
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29. ‘Power Of Yes’ Statements
You expect to get new customers from
Greater penetration of same demographic
Greater penetration of same geographic
Expansion into new market segment, e.g. _____
Presenting new benefits to old customers
Other
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30. ‘Power Of Yes’ Statements
You’ve been in business since 19__
Making you the newest competitor for those interested in
being innovative
Giving you the advantage of being oldest, best; one to beat
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31. ‘Power Of Yes’ Statements
Your customers consider you #1 (or #2, etc.)
Your current market share is x%
Your long-term goal is to _______
Your toughest competitor(s) is/are _____,
because _________
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32. ‘Power Of Yes’ Statements
Your biggest obstacle for 2011 is _______
Sales in your industry grew x% last year
You must be proud that your company was singled
out for _______ recognition or achievement
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33. Process-Oriented ‘Yes’ Statements
I believe you prefer to work on annual plans, and
lock in a contract rate and positions all at once.
I think I remember you need to have your budget
remain ‘flexible’ and make commitments on a
month-to-month basis.
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34. Power of “Yes”
RE-STATE WHAT YOU
BELIEVE THE BUYER
HAS SAID.
Clarify and identify.
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35. Sell Through Objections
While acknowledging
the buyer’s objection,
identify the potential
opportunity within
his/her statement.
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36. Sell Through Objections
We don’t have the
budget.
Is there no budget, or is that
budget already allocated, and
if so, how was it allocated?
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37. Sell Through Objections
We are satisfied with
our current schedule.
Let’s discuss the next
schedule or possible
additions/changes to your
current schedule.
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38. Sell Through Objections
Your rates are too
high.
Would you define too high? If
we produce more prospects
and/or more sales, does this
factor into your definition?
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39. Sell Through Objections
We already reach your
market.
Are you interested in
exploring whether you are
reaching the market in the
most effective and/or
complementary manner?
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40. Sell Through Objections
We don’t need more
sales right now.
Are you interested in
producing quality leads for
future sales?
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41. Sell Through Objections
Will think it over. Call
me next week (or
month, etc.)
I will be more than happy to
come back and review this
with you. What other
materials should I bring and
what questions should I plan
for?
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42. Sell Through Objections
I don’t have time to see
you.
What would be a more
convenient time?
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43. Sell Through Objections
The program is locked
up.
Does that mean the ads have
run and the money is spent?
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44. Sell Through Objections
Your content doesn’t
interest our customers
or prospects.
Can we review the reading
interests of your buyers?
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45. Sell Through Objections
• I don’t see ads for my
type of product in your
magazine.
Is this a criterion for all of
your ad placements? Do more
competitor ads validate the
market for you?
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46. Sell Through Objections
• Your magazine is too
cluttered.
What are you looking for in
terms of design? We carry
many ads because companies
desire to reach our market.
That is a sign of success.
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47. Sell Through Objections
• We get a better deal
from your
competition.
I’m sorry we can’t change
our rates because there is
value attached to our
audience. Perhaps we can
discuss added value.
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48. Sell Through Objections
• Business is poor, so
we are cutting back.
Will cutting back improve
the business outlook?
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49. Sell Through Objections
• There’s only room for
one more title in my
schedule.
What would it take for my
publication to be that title?
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50. Sell Through Objections
• We are not interested
in your market this
year.
When did the criteria
change and do you
anticipate another change
next year
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51. Sell Through Objections
• We are not ready to
move on that right
now.
I realize that these things
take time, but is there
something that I can do in
the meantime to make the
decision easier – more
information?
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53. ‘Yes’ Approach Benefits
Look for areas of agreement, harmony, being in
accord
Provide and gain value from (each) meeting
Introduce side-by-side problem solving
Avoid traditional confrontation
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54. ‘Yes’ Approach Benefits
Amicable vs. adversarial
Concentrate on long-term results vs. short-term
gains (while still encouraging both long and short-
term decisions)
Create positive environment more conducive to
building business (together)
Lessen resistance/avoidance to future
calls/conversations
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