CHAPTER 7CHAPTER 7

AttentionAttention

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

Will RogersWill Rogers

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7AttentionAttention

How can you get a prospect to heed what you are saying?

Just because you meet, is your prospect necessarily ready and anxious to talk about what you want to talk about?

How can you be sure you are on the same wavelength with your prospect?

“Your first impression is an invaluable stepping stone to the

island of prospective clients”

“Your first impression is an invaluable stepping stone to the

island of prospective clients”

Sandra FergusonPrecision Realty & Management

Sandra FergusonPrecision Realty & Management

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7Purpose of the Attention StepPurpose of the Attention Step

Personally contact the prospect

Get the prospect to listen

Secure a favorable interview

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7Establish CommunicationEstablish Communication

Open and honest communication, even early in the relationship building process, is critical to the continuance of that process

The salesperson must be sincerely interested in the prospect’s situation

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7Span of AttentionSpan of Attention

You must earn your prospect’s attention in the first five seconds of an interview

You must continue to earn it in 60-second increments

You must constantly be doing or saying something to hold your prospect’s attention

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7Try This TestTry This Test

Draw a small circle approximately one inch in diameter on a plain sheet of paper

Concentrate on only the circle!

Time yourself using a watch with a sweep second hand

How long can you concentrate on the circle without having other things enter your mind?

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7Getting the AppointmentGetting the Appointment

Experienced sales representatives try to schedule appointments in advance

Appointments are efficient

Appointments allow customers to see salespeople at their convenience, and to prepare for such meetings if necessary

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7InfluencersInfluencers

In order to talk to the right person, you must often cooperate with that individual’s influencers (gatekeepers)

Household-buying situations

• Spouses

Oganizational buying situations

• Administrative assistants

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7Setting the AppointmentSetting the Appointment

Most commonly used methods:

Telephone

In-person calls

Letters

Email

Third party introductions

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7TelephoneTelephone

The best telephone approach is simple, direct, and businesslike

The objective is to secure an appointment, not to make the sales presentation on the telephone

Lead with a benefit

Use a natural tone of voice

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7In-person CallsIn-person Calls

Cold calls are not for the purpose of making sales presentations, but to set up appointments for a later time

The goal in making a cold call is to meet with the prospect face-to-face

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7MailMail

Writing letters is useful in initiating contact with a prospect Send a letter, including a return postcard

Briefly outline the sales proposition

Ask for an interview to explain it fully

A card or letter indicating when you will be in town is also common practice

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7Email EtiquetteEmail Etiquette

A company needs to implement etiquette rules for the following reasons:

Professionalism

Efficiency

Protection from liability

Refer to Table 7.2--E-mail Etiquette Tips

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7Third Party ReferralThird Party Referral

Third party referral is an extension of the referral technique of prospecting

The satisfied customer may be asked not only to supply names of prospects but also to write a note introducing you to that prospect

This technique is particularly effective in industrial (B2B) situations

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7First ImpressionFirst Impression

Salespeople must be conscious of the communication signals they are sending

Visual

Vocal

Verbal/Non-verbal

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7AppearanceAppearance

Salespeople must be visually appealing

Many prospects will judge salespeople by their appearance

Take the “full-length mirror test” several times a day

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7Dress for SuccessDress for Success

For tips on:

Formal Business/Interview attire see Table 7.3

Business Casual/Non-office attire see Table 7.4

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7Lombardi TimeLombardi Time

"Show up for every important business meeting 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled meeting time"

Catch your breath

Collect your thoughts

Preplan what you want to accomplish in the meeting and how you'll go about it

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7Approaching The CustomerApproaching The Customer

Sales Call Anxiety Sales call anxiety (SCA) is an irrepressible fear

of being negatively evaluated and rejected by a customer

SCA consists of four components: • Negative self-evaluations

• Negative evaluations from customers

• Awareness of physiological symptoms

• Protective actions

Refer to Table 7.5 - Addressing Sales Call Anxiety

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7Practice the Golden RulePractice the Golden Rule

What does your prospect want from you?

What would you want from a sales representative if you were suddenly to change places with your prospect?

If you talk with your prospect about the things that concern him/her, you’ll always have an attentive listener

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7Courtesy and Common SenseCourtesy and Common Sense

Ask for permission to sit

Never clutter the prospect’s desk or floor without asking for permission

Watch the tone of your voice

Always be courteous but not overly friendly or pushy

Never be presumptuous

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7Look for CluesLook for Clues

Your prospect’s desk can provide clues about their:

Personality

Communication style

Work style

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7What could these clues indicate?What could these clues indicate?

A clean desktop

Organized piles on the desktop

Multiple drawers and filing cabinets

Papers and clutter

Boxes and piles on the floor

Look Your Prospect In The EyeLook Your Prospect In The Eye

“Never trust a person who can’t look you in the eye”

This is firm in the minds of a good percentage of your

prospects

“Never trust a person who can’t look you in the eye”

This is firm in the minds of a good percentage of your

prospects

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7Opening the PresentationOpening the Presentation

What makes some salespeople standout?

The best sales professionals know:

How to emphasize benefits in their presentations

The most effective presentations must start and finish with the prospect’s needs and wants as the focus

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7Presentation OpenersPresentation Openers

Openers are effective and brief introductions to the remaining parts of the sales presentation

The opener should fit the situation of the particular prospect

Salespeople must practice to help reduce the risks of trial-and-error

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7Choice of WordsChoice of Words

Keep the conversation focused

Avoid long, rambling sentences

Avoid buzzwords and jargon

Avoid words or phrases that might suggest that the salesperson is operating from a weak position

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7Gaining AttentionGaining Attention

Ask Something

Say Something

Show Something

Give Something

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7Referral OpenerReferral Opener

Referrals from existing customers can open doors to previously “off-limits” prospects

Casual acquaintance of prospect

Personal friend of prospect

Referral card of introduction

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7The Exhibit OpenerThe Exhibit Opener

The exhibit opener immediately captures the prospect’s attention

The exhibit can be any tangible object

Calendar

Newspaper clipping

Magazine article

Brochure

Gift

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7The Compliment OpenerThe Compliment Opener

The compliment opener is effective because it appeals to basic human instinct

Appreciation

Recognition

A sincere compliment is always true, specific, and in good taste

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7Prospect BenefitsProspect Benefits

Salespeople can use a benefit statement as an effective opener

Must be brief and general

Preferably demonstrates the salesperson’s advantage over competitors

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7More Attention GettersMore Attention Getters

Wire the prospect

Write to the prospect

Send an empty envelope

Share an idea

Share a new success story

Use a mystery opener

Offer a challenge

Share a gift

Use a big name

Use a curiosity arouser

Make a startling statement

Roughly 75 percent of all salespeople fail in the attention step. If you can become

professionally proficient in this area, it will automatically put you in the top quadrant of

successful salespeople.

Roughly 75 percent of all salespeople fail in the attention step. If you can become

professionally proficient in this area, it will automatically put you in the top quadrant of

successful salespeople.

“If you don’t have the prospect’s attention,

you don’t have anything!”

“If you don’t have the prospect’s attention,

you don’t have anything!”