C-Level, Relationship Selling Blog

Hi, I am Sam Manfer and Welcome to my content rich blog on advanced sales training and relationship selling - especially at the C-levels.

Check out also my Advanced Sales Training and C-Level Selling website.  It's full of free articles, videos, ebooks and more to help you sell or manage better.

C-Level Selling - The Great Customer Experience Happens When the C-Level Executives Are Satisfied

How much time do you spend with the senior staff of you customers?  I’ll bet not much – not good.  I’ll also bet that if by chance you do know them, you check-in to only say hello and see if there is anything they can give you – not good again.  And if you don’t know them, you only try to gain access to them when there’s something you want – really not good.

The Great Customer Experience requires making C-level executive constantly feel you are helping them succeed.  Learn what’s required in this C-level selling article

C-Level Selling - The Great Customer Experience Happens When the C-Level Executives Are Satisfied

Read It, Learn It, Implement It and I guarantee your selling will improve

C-Level Relationship Selling – Good Work Won’t Win the Next Sale

To win sale after sale from the same customer, you must do more than good work.  You must associate yourself with the winning solution and show that you’re special. 

When people buy from you they expect good results. So when they get what they paid for, it’s really nothing special.  Therefore, when it’s time to buy again, those same people will consider you because you delivered.  But they won’t necessarily buy from you, because again, it wasn’t anything special.

On the other hand, if there was a problem of any sort, you’re remembered as a problem, even if you corrected it.  Consequently when it’s time to buy again your chances are slim.

So why is it that good doesn’t guarantee the upside, whereas bad pretty much cements the downside?  It’s all about PR.   

This is why it’s critical to get-to the top people to associate yourself with the success.

This means .... C-Level Relationship Selling – Good Work Won’t Win the Next Sale

Read and learn how.

Good Selling

 

 

C-Level Relationship Selling – How to Differentiate When Selling

Differentiating is a good talking point, but it doesn’t close sales.  Showing you’re competent does. 

In the greater scheme of things, your products or services are similar to competitors’.  But, in the finite scheme of things every competitor is different. 

However, differentiating is not what closes a sale.  Showing you’re the best alternative of the various choices does.  Best is decided by the ultimate decision-maker and those that influence him or her. Best does not mean the most different.  Best means .......

Read what counts at C-Level Relationship Selling – How to Differentiate When Selling

Good Selling

 

C-Level Relationship Selling – 4 Style Checks to Exude Trust and Believability

Most people approach a prospect or a customer in their usual style/manner and expect that person to like them or at least effectively interact with them.  This works if their style gels with the other person’s style.  But if it doesn’t, it sets up a barrier to trust and believability.  The higher the rank of a person the more style impacts initial credibility and subsequent dialogues.

Learn a simple 4 step check to make all types of prospects immediately feel comfortable with you.  To be successful in sales, one must be able to adapt his or her style to effectively interact with everyone. 

Learn how at C-Level Relationship Selling – 4 Style Checks to Exude Trust and Believability

 

 

C-Level Relationship Selling - 9 Active Listening Steps to Effortlessly Sell Prospects

Sales calls are the most important step for selling and relationship development.  That’s why you have to have a strategy to get people talking while you listen with an ear to understand. Learn the 9 steps strategy to win-over C-Level executive and other prospects in this article

 C-Level Relationship Selling - 9 Active Listening Steps to Effortlessly Sell Prospects

 

Selling to C-Levels - 8 Interviewing Tips to Easily Close Sales

Interviewing questions open up C-levels and other prospects to reveal the triggers that will cause them to buy from that interviewer.  Interrogative questions turn-off people like a light switch. So to win-over prospects and C-levels, follow these 8 suggestions.

8 Interviewing Tips: Selling to C-Levels - 8 Interviewing Tips to Easily Close Sales

 

Selling to C-Levels - Engaging C-Level Executives in Productive Conversations

Winning over Senior and C-level executives is very helpful for successful selling.  However, these movers and shakers don’t care about what you have to offer until they feel you understand them and their situations. 

Keeping C-level and other executives engaged and excited to be with you is easy if you follow these simple rules. 

Read this stimulating article at Selling to C-Levels - Engaging C-Level Executives in Productive Conversations

C-Level Selling - Conquer Self-Doubt and Attain Confidence

Selling at the C-level requires confidence. Confidence is your reaction to those little internal voices that haunt you.  These voices are messages programmed into your psyche from parents, teachers, siblings and childhood playmates.  These messages / voices dictate how you see yourself – confident or laden with self doubt.  Learn how to recognize those voices and change those that don’t promote your confidence.

Read this amazing article at http://alturl.com/rgfdf

Let me know how you feel about it.

 

Good Selling,

Sam Manfer

 

 

C-Level Selling, 4 Steps for Closing Phone Inquiries

Turn 70% of incoming calls, and inquires into sales by establishing credibility and excitement within the first 30 seconds.

Interest and credibility are the keys to successfully leading incoming callers to buy your products or services.  When someone calls into your business, be it your, receptionist, multi-person phone bank or home office with an inquiry, obviously interest is high. However, you have to keep that interest burning while developing credibility and avoiding frustration.  So how you answer and your next few statements are critical to moving this opportunity forward. 

Step 1 – Create Rapport with Your Greeting

Step 2 – Build Trust by Getting the Prospect to Take over the Conversation

Step 3 -- Show Them Your Expertise

Step 4 -- Ask the Prospect for His or Her Feelings

Read how to implement these steps at C-Level Selling, 4 Steps for Closing Phone Inquiries

and for a more complete version C-Level Selling, 4 Steps for Closing Phone Inquiries - Full Version

 

Unbeatable Cold Calling Techniques for Telemarketing and Out Going Call Centers

Attain unbeatable cold calling success. Grab prospects’ attention within 7 seconds while establishing credibility with every word using this advanced telemarketing technique.

With cold calling, you have to develop interest within the first 7 seconds.  When the prospect first answers, this is not the time to tell who you are or where you're from.  You may think this important and strange not to introduce yourself, but the prospect on the other of the phone doesn't care who you are or where you're from.  You are interrupting and all s/he cares about is "What can you do for me?"    So this is the moment to push benefits (not features) to pique the prospect’s curiosity. 

Read how at Unbeatable Cold Calling Techniques for Telemarketing and Out Going Call Centers

Good Selling

C-Level Relationship Selling – Gaining the Confidence Required for Selling High

Confidence is a sales person’s biggest asset.  It enables a sales person to feel s/he belongs with top decision makers.  Confidence enables a sales person to ask penetrating questions to everyone s/he meets, and confidence enables a sales person to ask for what s/he wants.

Learn how to gain confidence at C-Level Relationship Selling – Gaining the Confidence Required for Selling High

C-Level Relationship Selling – Establishing Credibility - The Magic of All Sales Relationships

Credibility comes from respect: the prospect respects your approach, your company, your appearance, and/or your mannerisms. Credibility comes from trust: the prospect trusts what you have to say; trusts your company; trusts you.  Credibility comes from delivering wanted results: the prospect believes you can deliver what s/he wants; the prospect sees from your presentation s/he will get desired results; or your past performances suggest you’ll deliver wanted results again.  Failure in any one of respect, trust and/or results and you’ll have little to no credibility.

Read more at C-Level Relationship Selling – Establishing Credibility - The Magic of All Sales Relationships

C-Level Relationship Sales Tips – Increase Sales by Stealing Competitors’ Accounts

Increase your sales by using these simple sales tips to steal your competitors’ accounts while developing C-level relationships.

Read article at: C-Level Relationship Sales Tips – Increase Sales by Stealing Competitors’ Accounts

C-Level Relationship Selling – Lower Levels Can Sell Easily to C-Levels

This article will help show selling to C-Level is not about title.  It’s about the ability to deliver results. Sales people are typically intimidated by C-level executive and feel they are not the appropriate person to be approaching them. 

 

Here’s a common situation.  You feel you’re too low on the totem pole to reach out to some senior managers.  Here's what to do.

Read: C-Level Relationship Selling – Lower Levels Can Sell Easily to C-Levels

Let me know your how you feel.

 

Good Selling

 

C-Level Selling - Handling Purchasing, Committees, and Delegated Authorities

Committees, purchasing and low level delegates don’t decide. They only recommend. Even if you win them over, it doesn't mean you get the sale.  However, if you lose them, that doesn't have to mean you lose the sale.  In other words, don't get stuck with purchasing, committees and delegated subordinates.

Use these proven C-level selling actions to work your way through purchasing, committees and delegates to win more sales.  Read these powerful sales actions at:

C-Level Selling - Handling Purchasing, Committees, and Delegated Authorities

Good Selling, and let me know your feelings.

 Bonus Tip:  FREE E-book  Getting Past Gatekeepers and Handling Blockers .  If you can’t get to the powerful decision makers, you’re depending on others to do your selling at the high levels.  The problem is you won’t know what they say, if they say anything at all. 

C-Level Relationship Selling – 3 Steps to Handle the “Too Busy” Selling Objection

Learn how to handle “The executive is too busy to see you.”  sales objection, Contacts use this excuse, yet bosses free-up time to get information necessary to make their final decisions.

So click this link for some easy actions to overcome this common selling objection.
C-Level Relationship Selling – 3 Steps to Handle the “Too Busy” Selling Objection

Bonus Tip:  FREE E-book "Getting Past Gatekeepers and Handling Blockers " .  If you can’t get to the powerful decision makers, you’re depending on your contacts to do your selling at the high levels.  The problem is you won’t know what they say, if they say anything at all.  Click this link 

C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Tips for Overcoming Executive Intimidation

Meeting with powerful people makes anyone nervous and reluctant to pursue them. Unfortunately, if left uncorrected, you’ll be stuck with subordinates who tend to gather all your information and then do nothing with it because they are also nervous about going to their bosses.  So here is how to correct this executive intimidation situation.

Read this article C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Tips for Overcoming Executive Intimidation

Send this along to a friend  and Good Selling

 

C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Actions for Handling Blockers and Gatekeepers

Common Situation - You’re blocked.   You’re frustrated.  You try to be polite.  Yet, you don’t ask for the reason s/he is not letting you meet others.  You stop trying and are stuck with this gatekeeper.

So here are 6 actions of what you can do to handle or prevent this common situation.

C-Level Relationship Selling – 6 Actions for Handling Blockers and Gatekeepers - click this link

Gatekeepers and blockers can be handled easily if you know how.  Learn the details through this must read article.

C-Level Relationship Selling – Use Your Golden Network for Leverage

There are people you know who can coach you along to win sales, and/or cross-sells, and/or point out high quality leads. 

 

Sales people are reluctant or uncomfortable to ask others to make introductions for them – no matter how tight their relationship.  In many selling situations they may even feel it’s unnecessary to move beyond their primary contact.  What happens is the sales person gets stuck – stuck with a gatekeeper, or stuck with only one of the many decision makers.  The results are limited information as to how to win the sale, loss of control to this contact, and no chance to make an impact on the other executives involved with the selection process.

 

So here are some tips to change this situation.

 

C-Level Relationship Selling – Use Your Golden Network for Leverage

 

Good Selling

Networking Magic for C-Level Relationship Selling

Networking produces leads, contacts, and C-Level relationships better than anything.  So use your resources.  You know people that know people who can get you to where you want to be.  However you have to stop and think about this for a minute because you’re not used to using these contacts.  Once you start to think about who you know, you’ll be amazed at how many resources you have.

 

Common Situations - Cold Calling or Trying to Get to Hard-to-See Executives

 

Most people suffer the rejection and futility of cold calling admins because they hate to ask people they know for help.  What happens is they get nowhere slowly. Even worse, the constant rejection causes them to totally avoid prospecting for new opportunities and clients. As a result sales slump which makes salespeople feel worse.  They become desperate and make more cold calls and the downward rejection cycle continues.

 

Now here are some tips to get your networking process going.

 

Click here to read Networking Magic for C-Level Relationship Selling article

 

and/or

 

Watch Sam Manfer's Networking Your Way to Selling Success Video