Nuggets

Dave, todays homework for you once you've finished the audio I gave you...

DISCUSSION:
Most salespeople see their sales world divided into two equal parts, "those I've sold who are now customers, a small number," and "those I haven't sold, a huge number." As a result, more energy and time is devoted to searching for the "those I haven't sold" to find a few to push over to the "those I have sold" side. It should be the exact opposite.

Spend 80% of your time with existing customers, and, as a result, when you ask for referrals, you will already have pre-qualified referrals to call on. Now spend the remaining 20% of your time with the prospects. Always ask these prospects for a referral. While most often you won't get one, about a quarter of the time you will.

How would you rather spend your time? Talking with prospects who also do business with your customer or talking with prospects who don't have the slightest idea who you are?

APPROACH:
Here are three behaviors that if committed to, will yield success:

1. The Introduction Letter: Call a customer who has bought more than once
from you. Ask him why and write down his response. Pretend you are that
customer. Write an introduction letter that will be sent, by him, to his five closest
business contacts. The letter says, in no more than three paragraphs, why he
does business with you, how he puts your product to use, and how to get in touch
with you. Now get his permission to send it and a list of whom to send it to. You
follow up with your own note.

2. The Introduction Phone Call: This could be the follow up to the letter or where you
start. Same pattern but this time with a customer who is considered a regular. He
calls his business contact, indicates that you are in the room and would his
contact like to talk with you for a minute or two. You get on the phone and close for
an appointment, nothing else.

3. The "You Didn't Sell Me, But..." Call: Always ask for a referral. You have nothing to
lose by doing this. "I appreciate the fact that we'll never do any business; if you
were me, whom would you call on?"

THOUGHT:
Referrals are easier to get than gold nuggets. Gold nuggets have to be searched for; referrals are free for the asking.

I proved this today didn't I Dave... You know it makes sense lol