And I also felt amazingly fortunate to have had the honor and privilege of coaching a group of young women as they learned not only how to play the game, but more importantly, how to be a team.

And it got me thinking (later after I stopped tearing up) about all the “coaches” I have had the great opportunity to help with their own teams.

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨.

The correlations between sports and business have long been documented, however, I feel that most are ignored as coaches and leaders get caught up in the day-to-day minutia of it all.

So as I sit here and reflect on these past 3 1/2 years and the connection between the two, these are the three things that will stay with me and will always make me reflect:

𝟭. 𝗜𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗔 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠?
– Meaning, do they have each other’s back? Do they support each other, especially when one or more are struggling? Do they care more about their own batting average over the team’s success?

This question is especially important to ask in a sales environment. Too often I see sales teams that are splintered, with self-centered reps that care only about their own numbers and not the actual score of the overall game.

There is no room on any team for selfish players.

𝟮. 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦?
– Every team needs a leader, but not the coach. A leader from the team itself, setting the tone, holding teammates accountable, putting forth the greatest effort for the good of all, not just themselves.

The best teams have the best leaders who actually play the game.

𝟯. 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟𝗦?
– As a great coach, you should help each one of your players establish their own personal goals. But these should not cover up or eclipse the overall goals of the team. Everybody wins when the team wins, and individual goals miraculously take care of themselves.

Sales teams need to be one unit with clear goals. That’s where the magic happens.

***
So as she enjoys her last summer before she heads off to college, I’m left with amazing memories and fresh perspectives that will carry me forward onto the next chapters for both of us.

Oh, and of course she hit a home run in her last game!

Rockstar

“𝐼 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑡.” 🤔🤔

I’ve always said that the most effective and best way to handle objections as a sales pro, is to not get them in the first place.

How? That’s a whole ‘nother training and post (hint: it has to do with open-ended questions)

However, I’m not naive enough to sit here and think that good sales reps never get objections. On the contrary, good sales reps know how to handle them better than mediocre sales reps. MUCH better.

And what is the most common sales objection?

Well, it’s a statement that usually masks the REAL objection, which could be a number of things from price, to trust, to anxiety. The prospect is simply saying “𝐼 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑡,” to get you, the rep, to stop talking and go away.

However, there is a way to respond to the “𝐼 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑡” statement, without sounding like a salesperson. And it’s simply based on keeping the conversation going rather than giving up, or responding with the ridiculous sales responses that have been trained for decades.

Response #1:
“Totally understandable—big decisions deserve some breathing room. When you’ve had a chance to mull it over, what’s the one thing that will tip the scale for you?”

Response #2: (similar)
“No rush—sleep-on-it decisions are usually the best ones. One question for you though if I may. When you picture this fully implemented 60 to 90 days from now, what has to be true for you to say ‘glad we did it’?”

What these two questions do is force the prospect’s brain to come up with an answer about what actually will make them buy, but more importantly, it CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION, which will eventually get you to the REAL objection.

It also places them in a “future state” to actually imagine owning your product or service, and what it would take to get there.

So if you find yourself getting this objection more often than not, my first advice is to go over your calls (hopefully they’re recorded) and see if you can find what you missed. Because you almost certainly missed something during the appointment to cause this statement.

Second, I would suggest trying one of these two responses above, and then continue the conversation accordingly.

And for goodness sake and all that is pure, please DO NOT respond with the resistance-inducing, defensive-causing question – “So what is it you need to think about?”

You may as well pack up and go home after that.

Keep the conversation going, flush out the real objection, and watch your sales numbers soar.

#allanlanger #the7secrets #sales #inhomesales

Have you ever heard of the “𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿?”
Or the “𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁?”

Bear with me here…

You see, Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States back in 1921, was known for his good looks and a commanding presence. Because of his “appearance,” he was judged to be a good president, at least by perception.

However, the “Error,” or “Effect” is named after him because his administration was riddled with corruption and basic incompetence, leading to the conclusion that his pleasant appearance masked his lack of substance and ability.

So what does this have to do with sales?

Whos’ ever heard the term “pre-judging” in a sales context?

Well, it’s basically the Warren Harding Error happening all over again, but this time, with sales reps “pre-judging” a prospect or an appointment BEFORE they meet them, or before it starts.

They will usually base their pre-judgement simply on appearance (or a particular circumstance, such as being late for a Zoom call).

And it happens ALL THE TIME in sales, especially in the world of in-home selling.

You have a 2:00 pm appointment, drive up to the house, and wow, what a crappy-looking ranch that is! These people can’t have any money…I’m wasting my time!

Sound familiar?

Stop it…judging an appointment or a person BEFORE you meet them, or before the appointment even starts, is a death-knell in sales. As soon as you place any type of judgement on any appointment or prospect, you may as well save everyone’s time and go home.

Why? Because since we have already made judgements on this prospect, we will then conduct the sales appointment based on that judgement, not based on helping or serving. Which usually means taking shortcuts, at a minimum.

And by the way, this is not easy to correct, as the majority of us pre-judge everything, all the time. It’s actually how the brain works.

We as humans, automatically judge everything and everyone, normally before we get to know who they are or what’s really happening.

So the next time you pull up to that less-than-desirable-looking house, or your prospect is a few minutes late, or they look a bit disheveled, default to CURIOSITY and suspend JUDGEMENT.

𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨.

And you never know how much money the owners of that crappy-looking ranch have under their mattress.

However, what the play also depicts is another tragedy – the tragedy that the salesperson in today’s society, has become a punchline, a stereotype, a character full of bad intentions and deception. You see, Loman is the typical trench coat-wearing, fedora-donning, briefcase-carrying salesperson everyone has grown to loath. The image of the self-serving peddler – meeting you to desperately try to sell you something – has become the logo, the trademark, the brand that unfortunately every salesperson finds themselves a part of, no matter how sincere their intentions or how moral their compass.

How did this happen, and why? Is every salesperson out to simply make a sale and take your money? Is everyone that sells anything just in it for themselves? Of course not.

So why then, when we have to purchase something, anything really, we fill with anxiety, trepidation, and a feeling that we need to protect ourselves? Why does every salesperson, especially on the first encounter, have to overcome this incredibly strong bias?

The following is the introduction to my book:

A few years ago, I did an experiment. I asked everyone I met, every day, for three weeks, whether they enjoyed, looked forward to, speaking with, or meeting with a salesperson.

Ready for this?

One-hundred percent of them – all 231 – answered “NO.”

I even asked the same question to 68 in-home sales reps. The same response.

“NO.”

Then I did some research and discovered, when polled, the vast majority of salespeople claimed that they enjoy the “meeting-people” part of their job, but at the same time, DISLIKE the “selling” part.

So, in one corner, salespeople don’t really like selling, and in the other, consumers don’t really like meeting with sales people. It’s a wonder anything is sold or purchased at all, outside the internet.

My first book, The 7 Secrets to Selling More by Selling Less, addresses this phenomenon, gets into the why and the how, and what salespeople can do to overcome this brick wall that is constantly in front of them at every sales opportunity.

So why this blog post? Admittedly, to introduce you to the possibility of getting my book, but more importantly, to let you know that you, as the salesperson wondering why you are struggling, why the same-old tired sales techniques and pitches do not result in anything more than a 30% closing rate, can change all that.

You see, contrary to what many old sales managers and trainers have taught you, or what you have read in the past, there are actually ways to be a successful salesperson, without “selling.” Without sales-pitches, and closing techniques, without objection handling strategies and buying pressure. There are ways to not perpetuate the ugly sales stereotype of commissions and quotas and selling at all cost. A way to increase your sales and volume without increasing how fake you are with a customer, or the pressure you feel you need to induce to make a sale.

I will be blogging weekly about this topic, and many other sales -related subjects and themes and concepts that will hopefully not only help you, but entertain you as well.

Thanks for reading and until next time…

Good selling and happy helping!

Allan

I had 176 contacts on LinkedIn.

I had eight speaking gigs scheduled over the next six weeks. Speaking gigs that always generated new clients for me.

By March 20th, all the speaking gigs were canceled, and I had no new clients in my pipeline.

Overnight, it was gone.

And I still had 176 contacts on LinkedIn.

I was paralyzed… I was scared. Not only for me, but for the world. We were actually in a pandemic? Like a real live virus spreading across the globe that was not on a movie screen? Seriously?

For two days I felt like a fish pulled onto a boat, gasping for air, not knowing how to get back in the water. What was I going to do?

And then I remembered my “Q” card…the little black card I found in a coffee shop back in 2018 that changed my life.

This little black card with a big Q and a prompt sentence, that simply read:

“What do you want your legacy to be?”

That little card changed my life two and a half years ago, and it was about to do the same thing again.

I realized right there that I had to get out of the boat, I had to change everything. I knew that with one determined push, I could get back over the side and into the water, and breathe again.

So I did.

I dove into LinkedIn, determined to figure out how to succeed.

I started a virtual networking group that has gone for 54 straight weeks now.

I started a podcast.

I redid my website.

I contacted every summit and webinar and podcast show I knew to try to get exposure.

I tried to connect with every LinkedIn influencer I could find.

I worked till 3:00 a.m. most nights.

Twelve months and 22 days later, I just eclipsed over 9,100 followers on LinkedIn.

I now have clients contacting me everyday, inquiring about my services. And all of my speaking and training gigs are currently online.

I’m swimming again, this time faster and freer than ever before.

I’m not writing this to pat myself on the back, nor am I oblivious to the numerous other struggles around us that make mine look petty.

I’m writing this because we all have our own small worlds to live in, our own boats, and we all have choices on how we react to them.

I’m writing this in hopes that it helps just one person be inspired to move forward, to reinvent themselves, to know that if I can go from 176 contacts on LinkedIn to over 9,100 in just 12 months, they can too.

If you’re struggling or tempted to hit the pause button, remember that the water is just one jump away. You just have to take the leap.

What do you want YOUR legacy to be?

It’s not a destination to get to and then execute a technique.

In fact, the word CLOSE, or CLOSING should be permanently banned from all sales vernacular. Yep, I said it.

Why?

Because it turns the salesperson’s mindset into an adversarial one, positioning the prospect as PREY they can conquer or kill, rather than a human they can help and serve.

“I closed them last night!”
“I got those sons-a-bitches!”
“They finally said yes after an hour of trying to close them!”
(then they cancelled the next day)

A salesperson needs to understand that a SALE, a YES, is simply the extension of a great conversation.

Let me say that again – A SALE (someone saying yes to you) 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵.

Now, obviously, there are certain strategies and approaches to use and facilitate to execute that great conversation, but the 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩 of “getting to the close” needs to be abandoned.

You don’t need a “closing technique” if you’re main intention is to help and serve the customer.

The “close,” the sale, should happen on it’s own.

When THAT is your goal, your prospect will feel comfortable and excited to purchase your product or service.

Case “closed.”