The Chart Getting to the Next Level From The Accidental Salesperson By Chris Lytle

The Categories Level 4: Sales & Marketing Professional Level 3: Professional Salesperson Level 2: Salesperson or Problem Solver Level 1: Account Executive

Level of Trust Level 1: Neutral or Distrustful Level 2: Some Credibility Level 3: Credible to Highly Credible Based on Salesperson’s History Level 4: Complete Trust Based on established relationship and past performance

Goal/Call Objective Level 1: To open doors, see what’s there Level 2: To persuade & make a sale, or to advance the prospect through the process Level 3: Customer creation and retention; find the fit; upgrade client & gain more info Level 4: To continue upgrading and increase share of customer’s business

Approach and Involvement Level 1: Minimal or Nonexistent Level 2: Well-planned; work to get prospect to buy into the process Level 3: True source of industry information and business intelligence Level 4: Less formal and more comfortable because of trust and history

Concern or Self-Esteem Issue Level 1: Being Liked Level 2: Being of service, solving problems Level 3: Being a resource Level 4: Being an “outside insider”

Pre-call Preparation Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: Level 4: Memorize a canned pitch, or “wing it” Level 2: Set call objectives; prescript questions; articulate purpose-process-payoff Level 3: Research trade magazines, Internet; analyze client’s competition Level 4: Thorough preparation, sometimes with proprietary information unavailable to other reps

Presentation Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: Level 4: Product literature, spec sheets, rate sheets Level 2: Product solution for problem they uncover during needs analysis Level 3: Systems solutions Level 4: ROI proof and profit improvement strategies

Point of Contact Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: Level 4: Buyer or purchasing agent Level 2: End users as well as buyer or purchasing agent Level 3: Buyers, end users, and an “internal coach” or advocate within client’s company Level 4: “Networked through the company; may be doing business in multiple divisions

Change in Attitude I Sales techniques and pressure took precedence over solving a prospect’s problem. Silent close: Ask a question and listen. First one to speak “loses.” Right idea, wrong attitude Pushy vs. Professionally Persistent Take your relationship with each client to the next level.

Change in Attitude II Align your sales behavior with those things that buyers value most in salespeople. You buy time when you gain trust. Your clients and prospects can teach you a lot about selling by the way they react to you. LEARN!

Dealing with Tough Customers I Car dealer who cancelled his order

Dealing with Tough Customers II Tough customers don’t want to deal with pushover salespeople. You’ve got to be different. Pre-call planning is vital. The customer is always right, unless the customer is wrong. Be willing to walk away from a bad deal or a bad character. Have friends inside the organization.

Magic Phrase “This is the way I work…” Tell your prospects how you are going to sell them before you try to sell them your product or service. Transparency: If they buy the way you sell, they’ll buy more of the things you sell. Sell them on how you sell, and the pressure is off; less pressure; less defensive.