Saturday Sales Tips


Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity - Lucius Seneca


Hi %FirstName%,


How are you doing? Has it been a good week? An average week? Or a bad week?


I have really enjoyed this week. It started on Monday morning when I was told by a client they want to work with me for a further 6 months and I then found out that the book I mentioned in last week's email (Sales Genius #1 - Here is a link to the book) had become an Amazon bestseller! Add that to 4 other client calls where we outlined plans to achieve big sales numbers in the next few months and the first week of September has been a hit.


Being involved in the Sales Genius #1 has given me a taste for books! It has been a great chance to share some of my sales ideas with lots of businesses worldwide. Did you take on board my advice regarding plans and processes from last week's email?


The book has also been a great opportunity to work with an incredibly knowledgeable group of sales mentors and experts based all over the world.


Guys like the Mo Bros. Keval and his brothers have built a business and brand which has grown to £3m in turnover in just a few years and the guys are now the face of one of the major campaigns for Export Britain. If you have a beard or moustache then take a look at what they do!


Or someone like Tim Han whose Success Insider business teaches people all over the world to achieve personal happiness and a man who has nearly 1/2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.


I know that even though I have spent 20+ years selling and understanding how to sell, you never stop learning and there are always new ideas that you can pick up from others.


I shared a video on my Linked In account about the book and what it offers. Take a look and if we haven't connected on Linked In already then let's change that. Connect with me on Linked In here.

Seeing the momentum and impact that Sales Genius #1 has had, has convinced me more than ever to get my arse in gear and launch my own book. I mentioned in last week's email that I would share what I am going to be writing about in my new book and how I needed your help.


So here it is! The help I need from you is later in the email but first some explanations.


The models for sales success I have now


I started writing around 18 months ago about the 3 models that I have created to achieve consistent sales success. You may know that I use my TRACKFARE and DRIVER models to outline the foundations and skills you need for consistent sales success. I then have a model called CONVERT which is the journey you need to follow with your prospects if you are to turn them into customers. You can see details of the models here on my website


All 3 of these models outline what you need to do to get results and they are all still valid and essential if you want to achieve more consistent sales success. There is an issue with these models though.


They were based on a book idea I had called 'The Conversion Train' which as you may have guessed would talk through how you could convert prospects into customers and relate these to a train journey with your business being your own train.


Hence the link to the words, Track and Driver.


Foundations (or tracks in my book idea) are vital for a train to run on and Skills (like a train driver has skills) are key if you are to drive your own train properly. Every prospect needs to go on a journey to get from A to B (like a train journey) if you are to turn them into a customer which is where the final model Convert came from.


All make sense?


'Yes, I think so James' I hear you say to yourself.


'I think I understand what you mean but being honest it all sounds a bit confusing and well trains are just a bit boring aren't they'. Can't you make this all a bit simpler?


There was my problem.


Trains are just not very exciting and the thought of reading a book about sales and trains doesn't excite me and so how the hell is going to excite anyone else?


So, I decided around 6 weeks ago that I needed to change and define a new model to explain how to get sales success. The quote below was where I was before I saw the light. Well, Linda and Jordan helped me see the light actually.


Linda is my great new personal assistant and Jordan is my amazing video and website editor. Both do a brilliant job and help me bring my ideas and knowledge to life.

I had spent a lot of time developing my 3 models and working on them, but they take too much explaining. They are good but they are not good enough and so it is time for a change.


My passion is to help as many entrepreneurs all over the world to get better sales results and I want my book to make sense and really resonate with business owners.


I want them and you to read it and say, 'I totally get this James and it makes perfect sense'.


So, what is the new subject and model you may ask? Stop taking up my Saturday morning talking and tell me what it's about!


Drum roll, please.......


Sales is Like Dating


For years, I have used a number of analogies on how winning in sales is like dating or meeting someone new. Some of my past team at InTouch used to cringe when I outlined the bar scenario or the first date challenge, but I used these examples as they were easy to understand and everyone could relate to the point I was making.


I believe sales is very similar to dating. In fact, I think succeeding in sales is pretty much exactly the same as trying to find yourself a new partner. Let me explain why I think this, how I am going to share more about this in a book and the help I need from you!


Satisfying needs


The first thing about this approach is that pretty much everyone I speak with about it can resonate with it. I bet that 99.99999% of us have all had a desire at some time in our life to find a partner (most of us started that search through wanting to solve a problem or satisfy a need but I am not going to be too explicit here before you start wondering!) and we had a set of requirements when we started looking for Mr or Mrs Right! Your prospects have a similar problem. They are looking to solve a problem or for something or someone to make their lives better.


Building a good first impression


When your prospects meet someone for their first time, they want to get a good impression and guess what, that's the same when you are dating. I haven't met many people who say, 'no it's ok, I am going on a first date and I don't really want them to like me'!


In order to prepare for the first date, you spend some time getting ready and if you were like me, you would look in the mirror and tell yourself you looked good and you were a nice person! I knew when I was dating that if I didn't think I looked great how could I expect someone else to think that. My friends always tell me I have a face only my mother could love but I believed in myself.😊


Isn't that the same as when you interact with your prospects? Prospects and potential clients don't like people who are arrogant, but they do want the people they buy from to have a confidence and assurance about who they are.


Is this worth a 2nd date?


When you meet with a date for the first time, it's unlikely that you will ask to marry them there and then. If you are single, then please try it and let me know how you get on! In most cases, the whole purpose of the first meeting is to try and get to know them a bit more and decide if they are worth having a 2nd date with.


Yes, you have guessed it, selling to someone is exactly the same. I talk a lot in my videos about too many people in sales trying to win business too early when the prospect is not ready to buy. The best salespeople have a plan and focus on getting the prospect to the next part of that plan and don't try to jump into bed with them straight away.


Handling the objections

After around 4 dates with Mrs White number 2 (yes, we all make mistakes and I have a chapter in the book about prospects who are not the right fit for you) I made sure that I was totally open and honest about my past and the mistakes I had made. My relationship had developed, and I wanted to be open about why my relationship with Mrs White number 1 had failed, to see if it was going to impact my future with Mrs White number 2.


Your prospects are the same. They will know that not every customer you have worked with has been perfect, but they will trust you more when they hear it direct from you. Wouldn't you rather be told about an issue direct from someone you are looking to buy from, rather than hear bad things about them from a colleague or friend. Just imagine these problems about you appearing just before you sign a contract and work together. It could have negative impact and you don't want that when your about to seal the deal!


So, as you can see, I think there are HUGE similarities between sales and dating. I have over the last week been working to define 12 stages in the overall process which I am going to use in my book. I am busy adding more context and details into these stages so that I am ready to start writing. These stages will be the basis for a new training course I am also going to launch in addition to the book so stay tuned for more details on this as well.


So what help do I need from you?


I will outline this below after I have shared with you details on the latest video I launched on my YouTube channel this morning which covers handling typical objections that you get with new prospects.


To carry on my dating theme, what would you say to someone in a bar that you go over and chat with who says, 'they are not interested in talking to you'?


Would you give up there and then or would you try to get a conversation started? Have a look at the video for some ideas on what I think you could say.


The help I need from you


The help I need from you is in 2 areas.


A) Now you know the subject area of my book, I would love to hear your ideas on a great name for the book. I have thought about 'The Sales Dating Game' but I am not sure if this is right. I would love to get your thoughts on this as a name and what name could be catchy enough for a book like this! All ideas welcomed.


B) If you have read the email and thought, yes, I can really resonate with how sales and dating are alike then that is great. If it has brought back memories of situations you have been in, either with prospects or whilst dating then I would love to hear these stories. I am happy to reference you or not (depending on the story!!) so that I can use them in the book.


I have got lots in mind from my own dating and sales journey, but I would love to hear yours.


Can you help? Do any great names come to mind or do you have a funny story to tell about a date you have been on which has gone wrong? Why did it go wrong? I bet somewhere within the story there is a sales link or analogy which I can use!


If you do have a story you want to share, then please just reply to the email or call me and I will note it down!


So, there is my book idea and what I am going to write about. I will have my own book in my hand before my next birthday. I will, I will....


I hope the ideas and thoughts I have outlined above help you achieve sales success this week. Don't forget I share content every week on my website and so head over to the site and look at the latest blog I shared on how to find leads for your business.


As usual, if I can help you in any way get better sales results then please let me know. Have a great week and ensure you get to next Saturday and think 'I have achieved something in the last 7 days'


Enjoy the rest of your weekend and keep smiling.


James



www.jameswhite.business


Sales Trainer and Mentor

I specialise in working with successful service businesses who want even greater sales success


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