How to Blow Rapport Really Fast

Do you have 5, 10, or 20 years of sales experience?

Or do you have 1 year of sales experience 5, 10, or 20 times?

Many salespeople never advance beyond ancient outdated sales lines like "If I do this for you, will you give me the order?" Or "What do I have to do to get your business?"

Lines like these are why salespeople have a reputation near lawyers in our society.

Everyone learns lines like these in sales at some time or another. Often it comes from a senior salesperson who is described as "aggressive" or as "a closer". Because this guy brings in a lot of business, other's think that they should model his every habit. People say that you would sell more if you acted like this person. Yet secretly, most people abhor this guy.

Here's a hint. If the people in your sales organization abhorred this guy, then so did most of his prospects and customers. This guy sold a lot by using the law of averages. He sold not because of his ancient sales lines, but in spite of them. He worked 70 hours a week, and one of his favorite sayings was "its a numbers game".

Now you do have to get your message out to a large number of people. However, if you are annoying them in the process, you are wasting many great sales opportunities.

Lines such as these quickly ruin the rapport you have worked so on hard building up to this point. You brand yourself as a mere salesperson hawking a product focused only on your sales commission, rather than a business partner with concern for your prospect's business.

So what should you do instead?

Learn how to uncover problems and desires that you can help the prospect eliminate, solve, achieve or realize. Begin by seeing yourself as one who helps businesses and people with your products, ideas, and services.

You do this by asking questions. Ask questions to uncover problems and desires. If you cannot find something that you can help with - move on to a new prospect. Ask questions as to what the consequences will be of not doing anything towards eliminating their problem or not pursuing what they want. Use questions to help them see the consequences of buying your competitor's inferior product or service.

Helping your prospects to experience the consequences of various courses of action (or inaction) will stimulate the prospect into wanting to move the sale along. Done properly, this results in the prospect asking you how to speed up and complete the sale so that he can get on with solving his problem or realizing his goal.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

---

Recommending Products Vs. Selling Them

Some of the best sales people I have ever met,... Read More

Building an Action Plan

Going into your workday and waiting for things to happen,... Read More

How to Create Material That Will Get You Sales Now!

WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS BROCHURE OR SALES LETTER? A... Read More

Ten Top Tips for Terminating Telephone Terror

1. Make telephone callsFew things are more terrifying than the... Read More

Lazy Man?s Way To Get Customers

No matter how big or small your business is and... Read More

How to Eliminate Objections to Price

Have you ever stepped your way through the sales process... Read More

Selling Skills - How to Handle the Dreaded Question Whats The Price?

I've written previously about how to attract customers and how... Read More

How To Seal The Deal In Seven Seconds

Can you close a sale in just seven seconds? If... Read More

Using Emotion for Persuasion

The other day, I received the last issue of a... Read More

The Most Important Word in a Business Letter

What do you think it is? Many experts insist it's... Read More

10 Incredible Ways To Sell Your Products Now

1. Make your reader visualize they have already bought your... Read More

Planning to Realize Your Goals

Recently, I wrote about about creating specific, compelling goals that... Read More

The Allure of Antique Store Fixtures

They say if you wait long enough, a style you... Read More

What is Lead Generation?

Lead Generation is vital to all businesses. All companies try... Read More

5 Tips to Choosing a Direct Sales Business

With hundreds of direct sales companies out there, how do... Read More

Selling Commodities

"How do you create a perceived value to differentiate yourself... Read More

Peak Performance ? What You See Is What You Get!

Would you like an easy way to track the performance... Read More

101 Ways to Improve Your Direct Mail Response

1. Mail to your customers more often. If you are... Read More

The Art Of Cold Calling

I know, don't groan. You have to do them if... Read More

7 Pitfalls of Using Email to Sell

* Are you sending e-mails to prospects instead of calling... Read More

Sell More: How to Get Motivated Buyers To Call You First

How many sales opportunities have you lost to competitors who... Read More

The Importance of Good Sales Leads

An important part of your business plan should be to... Read More

How to Build Sales With Extended Benefits

An area that can become profitable for many businesses in... Read More

Why Are Customers So Indecisive?

Do you know why your customer won't buy? You've given... Read More

Making the Sale When the Customer Wont Buy

Ever had a party online or offline, and had guests... Read More

Focus on a Trade - Not a Discount

Smart buyers will always ask for a better price. Unfortunately,... Read More

What Should I Charge?

People ask me, "What should I charge?"I say, "Ask your... Read More

How To Profit From Initial Consultations

"I'd love to work with you, but?"How many times have... Read More

Six Steps to Creating Online Presentations for Telephone Selling

How much extra money could you make by closing just... Read More

Are You a Cultivator or a Harvester?

As a result of providing marketing consulting, training and coaching... Read More

Persuading Learners to Buy: 7 Groups

There are seven major reasons why adults continue their pursuit... Read More

Complacency and Fear are Sales Busters

Prospecting is the engine that propels anyone in sales. Without... Read More

Handling Objections

HANDLING OBJECTIONSSales presentation is not always going to be plain... Read More