Tom Hopkins

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-01-2022

With the right selling skills in your arsenal, you’ll have more happiness and satisfaction in all areas of your life, not just in your selling career (although your selling will certainly benefit, too). To start down the road to sales success, you need to know how to make a good first impression, ensure that your prospective clients need what you have, give fantastic presentations, address client concerns, and close sales.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you meet prospective clients during the selling cycle — or anyone, for that matter — for the first time, your goal is for them to like and trust you. You can accomplish that goal and be on your way to making a sale by completing the following steps, in this order: Smile, deep and wide. Make eye contact. Offer a greeting. Shake hands. Offer your name and get the prospect’s name. Remember: Long-term relationships begin in the first ten seconds.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

An important step in the selling cycle is listening to and responding to your prospect’s concerns and objections. Here are the steps to take when a person objects to something about the product or service you’re selling: Hear the prospect out. Don’t be too quick to address every phrase your prospect utters. Give him time; encourage him to tell you the whole story behind his concern. If you don’t get the whole story, you won’t know what to do or say to change his mind. Feed the objection back. By rephrasing what your prospect’s concerns are, you’re asking for even more information. You want to be sure that he’s aired it all so that no other concerns crop up after you’ve handled this one. Question the objection. This step is where subtlety and tact come into play. Be sure to find out what feeling is behind that objection and reassure your prospect that your product or service is right for him. Answer the objection. When you’re confident that you have the whole story behind your prospect’s concern, you can answer that concern with confidence. Confirm the answer. You confirm your answers simply by saying, “That answers your concern, doesn’t it, Mr. Parker?” If you don’t complete this step, the prospect very likely will raise that objection again. Change gears with “By the way. . . .” By the way are three of the most useful words to move beyond the concern. Use these words to change gears — to move on to the next topic. Take a conscious, purposeful step back into your presentation.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Most sales are lost because salespeople didn’t clearly ask for the business or asked at the wrong time. If your product or service has proven to be truly a good decision for your client, it’s your obligation to ask them to own it! Develop your closing instinct with the help of the following guidelines: When you feel the client warming up to the sale by asking more questions, leaning forward, or touching the actual product, take his temperature by saying something like this: “Mr. Barnes, tell me, how are you feeling about all of this so far?” Have at least six closing strategies in your arsenal because most clients dodge making the commitment five times. Close with sincerity and empathy for their situation. For example: “Mr. and Mrs. White, I can appreciate your excitement about finally having a backyard pool of your own so you can swim with your family any time you like.” Be prepared to wait silently for an answer after you ask a closing question. If you start talking before they answer, you may interrupt their train of thought and take them out of the buying mode.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

People don’t buy logically. They buy emotionally and then defend their decisions with logic. Your sales presentation must not only capture and hold the attention of potential clients but should also involve as many of their senses as possible. The following tips can help you make an effective sales presentation: Never give your prospect something to read until it’s time to read it. Keep your presentation to 17 minutes (people tend to lose interest in anything after this time frame). It should run longer only because your prospect is actively involved and asking questions. If there’s a break in your presentation for any reason, do a brief recap when you begin again to get your prospect back to the same emotionally involved point he was at before the break. Let the product be the star by getting yourself out of the way. Don’t stand between your prospect and the product. Get the prospect actively engaged with the product if at all possible. Let him handle it, push buttons, move levers, whatever is appropriate. Salt your presentation with your prospect’s lingo. For example, if you’re selling window coverings to an architect, use the industry names for the styles of windows or other features of her home or office.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you first meet with prospective clients, you need to qualify them — in other words, you need to see whether the product or service you sell meets their needs. To help you remember what to ask during this stage of the selling cycle, use this creatively spelled acronym — NEADS: N: What does your prospect have now? E: What does your prospect enjoy most about what she has now? A: What would your prospect alter or change about what she has now? D: Who is the final decision-maker? S: Tell your prospect of your goal to help her find the best solution.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Time is as precious as money, so it pays to explore ways to get more sales productivity out of the time you have to invest in your sales career. Everyone knows you can make twice the income by working twice the number of hours and putting forth twice the amount of effort. The secret to true success lies in making the time you currently invest in your business twice as productive. To begin with, you must understand that there are two entirely different kinds of time: Opportunity time, during which you achieve your goals through related activities such as internalizing information on your industry or product; getting your hands, eyes, and ears on new products; and providing follow-up service to existing clients. Replenishment time, during which you rebuild your strength through exercise, recreation, relaxation, and sleep. If you can’t get the hang of switching from opportunity time to replenishment time, you’ll soon face a burnout phase when you’re neither successful in sales nor in sound physical condition. You run out of fuel, your flame goes out, your power shuts off, and you stop dead in your tracks. Avoid sales burnout People who appear to be highly productive often suffer burnout. Many formerly successful salespeople have lost several years as a result. Some quench their flames so thoroughly that they never manage to get their engines going again and give up on their dreams of having successful careers. The dangerous part is that burnout sneaks up on you. Don’t try to fly high when your tanks are low. Touch down and refuel your spirits — spend a few days away in a completely different atmosphere from your workday world. It can be hard to force yourself to do this, but the benefits are incredible. Prioritize your selling hours Successful business people, including salespeople, always jump on the most important thing first. What is the most important thing you should do right now? Learning to answer that question quickly then act on it will increase your productivity tenfold. The key is to figure out the best time of day each day for selling and to focus your efforts on sales activities during that time. When you’re in selling time, you need to be tough about it. It’s amazing how much of your working life can be eaten up by trivial interruptions unless you make a conscious effort not to let that happen. Don’t do filing or clean your desk during sales time. Yes, it needs to be done, but not during selling time. If you have a daily sales goal, start working on it as early in the day as your potential clients are available. Don’t wait until you take care of other things before you start selling. The weight of that sales goal will crush you by day’s end. Start doing this every morning, keep on doing it, and you’ll soon discover that you’re not worrying anymore. You’re enjoying the work, you’re feeling good about yourself, and you know you’re winning.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you attain a certain level of professionalism, you’ll be selling more. This increase in sales is a culmination of a lot of things: You’re figuring out how to find the best people to sell to, you’re qualifying those people quickly and smoothly, you’re recognizing buying signs, and, most importantly, you’re enjoying it all. Check out these tips to get started on your rise to that fun level of professionalism. Prepare yourself Prepare yourself both mentally and physically for the challenge of persuading others. Dress appropriately. Give yourself an attitude check. Clear your mind of everything except what you need to think about while you’re connecting with the client. Within a few hours of meeting with your potential client, review any notes or information that may be vital. Doing your homework will help you pass the test every time. Make a good first impression You won’t hear too many winning stories about people who overcame bad first impressions to go on to land a major account or persuade an important person to their way of thinking. Going in confidently and handling the initial rapport-setting stage properly go a long way toward closing a sale or landing a new client. Make a good first impression with everyone you encounter in a potential client’s company, not just the decision-maker. A time may come when you need the assistance of someone else in that company and you want her to think kindly of you because she, too, sees how professional you are. Quickly determine whether you can help your client By asking a few simple questions, you can determine quickly whether your product or service is right for the people you’re meeting and whether or not they have the means to own it. By doing this, you maximize your efforts by continuing presentations only with people who are prepared to make decisions. Making a quick determination also shows the other person the courtesy of not wanting to waste her time with a presentation that’s of no benefit to her. Give every presentation 110 percent Never sell a prospect short. In doing so, you show a lack of respect toward her, which will eventually become clear — and when it does, you’ll probably lose whatever credibility you had with her. Don’t take shortcuts either — drop a step and you may lose a sale. By making every presentation as though it’s the most important thing in your life at that moment, you show the decision makers that you’re sincere about their needs and that they’re important to you. Generally, people are whatever you expect them to be. So expect your prospects to be vital to your overall success — not just in business but in life too — and treat them with the proper amount of respect. This approach will take you far. Address concerns completely If and when your prospect voices a concern about something, don’t ever glide over or minimize it. Let it stop you momentarily. Think about what was said and what you may have said or done to trigger the comment. Then carefully and thoughtfully address the concern: “What I understand from your comment, Ms. Friedman, is that you’re concerned about the size of the trunk in your new vehicle; is that correct?” If it is, you’d better find out what Ms. Friedman expects to put into it. And if it’s a critical point, find the right vehicle for her based on the trunk size. Confirm everything Miscommunication costs people loads of money, time, and effort every year. Missed appointments, flights, or phone calls can destroy in minutes what may have taken months to build. Inattention to details, improperly handled orders, and having the wrong people handling important tasks takes its toll as well. Taking just a few seconds to confirm (and reconfirm) everything will bring you more success. Never fear re-stating the details to your clients. They won’t think you’re brain damaged. Rather they’ll appreciate the clarity it brings to what they’ve agreed to. Ask for the decision You have nothing to lose by asking a prospect for a decision. If she’s not ready to make a decision and that’s what you find out by asking, great. But if she is ready and you don’t ask, you lose everything. If you truly believe in the good of what you’re doing, you should have no challenge asking the other party to commit her time, effort, or money to your cause or for your product or service. Hesitation is an indication of doubt — and you should never be the one having doubts when you’re in the persuader’s seat. Tell your clients about others Few people want to be guinea pigs. They don’t want to be the first to try something — they want to know that others have preceded them. By sharing experiences you’ve had with others just like them — others who invested in your product, currently enjoy your service, or are committed to the same project — you give your buyers permission to be like those others and invest in what you’re selling. They’ll recognize the landscape and understand that they’re not going into uncharted waters. Overcoming their fears will take you far in convincing or persuading people, especially if you can use examples of people they know. Constantly work at selling The most successful people in the world rarely take time off from what they do to be successful. This doesn’t mean that you should become a workaholic, but you can certainly think about new strategies, new ideas, and new people to contact even when you’re lying on a beach in the Bahamas for a well-deserved rest. By living and breathing what you believe in the most, the best new ideas will be drawn to you. You’ll constantly have your success antenna up and tuning in to the best information for you. Be a product of the product If you believe in what you’re doing, you must personally be a part of it. If you’re selling Fords, you don’t want to be seen driving a Chevy. If you sell home security systems, you’d better have one in your home. If you market freelance graphic design, your business cards had better be creative. In some instances you won’t be able to own or use the product, such as when selling large-scale equipment or services to businesses. If that’s your situation, become the best expert you can be on not only what the product does, but the benefits it has provided to other clients. If you can talk personally about your own experiences with your product, service, or idea, you’ll win over a lot more people than if you can’t.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The average human being has the ability to achieve almost anything. As a salesperson, your goal is to discover what you want to achieve and find the will to sacrifice, change, and grow to satisfy that want. Any goal you set will benefit from applying the following principles to it. If it’s not in writing, it’s not a goal. An unwritten want is a wish, a dream, a never-happen. If it’s in writing, it’s a commitment. If it’s not specific, it’s not a goal. Broad desires and lofty aims have no effect. A goal must be concrete. Goals must be believable. If you don’t believe you can achieve a goal, you won’t pay the price for it. An effective goal is an exciting challenge. It must demand your best and a bit more or it isn’t going to change your ways and elevate your lifestyle. Goals must be adjusted to new information. Adjust them down if they become unbelievable or up if they’re too easy. Dynamic goals guide your choices. If you want it badly enough, you’ll turn off the television and get to it. Goals show you the right way to go on most decisions. Don’t set short-term goals for more than 90 days. If you set a short-term goal that takes more than 90 days, you may lose interest. Maintain a balance between long-term and short-term goals. Long-term goals tend to be hidden in a fog of the future, so have some short-term goals – like clothes, cars, vacations— to keep your excitement up. Include your loved ones in your goals. Involve them and they’ll buck you up when you need encouragement. Set goals in all areas of your life. Have other goals besides career objectives. Your goals must harmonize. Whenever you detect a conflict, set priorities that eliminate the conflict. Review your goals regularly. Long-term goals can only be achieved if they are the culmination of short-term goals. Set vivid goals. Define not only what you want but by when you want it, and concentrate on it for a few moments every day. Don’t chisel your goals in granite. Sometimes you have to change goals to conform to your growing awareness of what’s really important in your life. Reach out into the future. The idea of setting goals is to plan your life rather than taking it as it comes. Begin by setting 20-year goals. Then narrow it down to 10-year, 5-year, 30-month, 12-month, monthly, weekly, and finally goals for tomorrow and each day for the coming week. Have a set of goals for every day, and review your results each night. Train yourself to crave your goals. Visualize yourself possessing what you set your goals for. Set activity goals, not production goals. Activity leads to production by itself. Understand luck, and make it work for you. Expect good things to happen, and they probably will. Start now. Give goal-setting an hour of concentrated thought today. Then set aside 10 minutes a day for the next 21 days to review and revise. After that, two minutes a day and one hour a week is all it takes to keep you on track. Try this system if you want to achieve your goals and within 21 days you’ll be well on your way to an immensely greater and richer future.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

You’ve done your job as salesperson: You’ve provided great information and a wonderful solution to meet a potential client’s challenge. Yet, the buyer refuses to own what you’re offering. Her problem isn’t solved yet, so, you need to work your way back to a point of attempting another close — perhaps with different options. How do you get across the divide between a first, second, third, or fourth attempt to close and the final close — the one that sticks and finally getting to a close? You build a bridge. Here's how: Apologize. Especially if you feel you've pressed a little too hard, back off with a quick apology. You can say something like "I’m sorry. I just got carried away. I didn't mean to move so quickly." What you're really doing is apologizing to yourself for not making the close. Don't worry about it. All it means is you get a chance to practice another of your many closes. “I apologize. I didn't mean to push you." Your apology is sincere because a champion salesperson doesn't push — she pulls. She pulls by leading with questions. Summarize the benefits the client has already agreed to. Play it safe, and aim for minor agreements: "I know there are still a lot of questions in your mind, but this model is the size you wanted, isn't it?" "All I’m saying is that after everything you’ve told me about your needs, the JLG Lift seems to meet those needs, doesn't it?" Ask a lead-in question. Complete your bridging to the next closing sequence by asking a lead-in question. Try it this way, "I know I went through that rather quickly, but those are the things we've discussed thus far, and we've agreed on them, haven't we?” After getting the client’s agreement, ask what else you may have missed or misunderstood in your conversation. In other words, you want to know what’s holding her back without directly asking “So what’s holding you back?” That would be too pushy. When the potential customer agrees with the summary of points you provide, you're set for your next closing attempt. If you keep using this technique to roll into your next close, eventually she will own what you're there to sell them. Why? Because you know more closes than she knows reasons not to buy. Won't that make an exciting change in the results you’re getting? It will if you've been losing because your prospects all just naturally react with more negatives than you have positives. But is it ever fun when you know more ways to get them to say yep than they know ways to say no.