Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

I bumped into a not too close friend few days back at a restaurant. He gave me call today and it went something like this.

Me: Hi Gary, what’s up?
Gary: Oh, just wanted to call up and see if you have time to meet up for a drink?
Me: A little tough.
Gary: Why?
Me: Coz i have lots of trainings piling up.
Gary: It’s ok, call me when you have the time. Bye.

I have to say, meeting up with friends is the last thing i have on my list of to do things. Firstly, i’m really very busy. Secondly, that call has no purpose, i don’t know why i need to meet up for a drink. Thirdly, there was no rapport building in the call. If you see this as a sales call to potential prospects, you see why most sales people don’t get appointments. They go “well the reason i’m calling today mr prospect is to meet up with you to introduce our company.” If you need to introduce your company, all you need to do is send the buyer your website link. A lot of cold calls go wrong because of this. Do some preparation before the call and make sure it is a buyer focused call.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

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Toyota became the no 1 car maker of the world because they were known for good quality products. Quality that people can trust. But then they had to recall their cars because of accelerator pedal issues, a very serious issue for Toyota that damaged their sales, brand and more important the Trust of their customers and potential customers. Trust is the 9th code of the Sales Ninja. When you have good quality products, we tell people about it because as consumers we want to brag about our wise choice to go with the brand we chose.

In our trainings we talk about Trust takes time to build - but can be gone in an instant. In this case for Toyota, people’s trust with their ‘quality’ products is gone so fast because of the accelerator issues. It’s going to be a tough ride for them because it takes A LOT of time to rebuild the trust again. Bottomline is this, as a seller, you put so much time and effort into building trust, don’t screw it up by breaking the trust by not delivering your promises, hyping the facts or what not. Be consistent Be competent.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

I’m in my office today. Someone rang my door so i went out and see who is it. It’s a directory sales woman in her forties. I opened my door and see what she has for me. She wants to give me a free directory, which i told her, “do you have a digital version?” She replied i can go to their website and download it, alright cool, i’ll do just that. She then asked me a qualifying question, not a very good one, but at least she tried, “do you want to advertise?” I replied…

Me: What’s the purpose of advertising?
She: Well, for people who do not know who you are, you get to reach this people. (this answer is good)
Me: Ok, but i think the directory won’t reach the people i want to reach.
She then launched into a mini pitch about how many thousands use their directory, bla bla…
Me: The new way to reach people is online, you see, i didn’t even want your directory even though it’s free.
She: Alright, we also have an online advertisements you can do. Millions visit bla bla…
Me: I’m currently not keen though but thanks for visiting me today.
She walks out.

I almost gave her a free sales training lesson. But i was busy preparing for my training tomorrow, i just let it be. Hope she reads this post to learn something. Here are some quick lessons:

>> I let her in my door, very seldom people are friendly (except for me =) when you walk door to door. She never build any rapport what so ever. All she is interested in 1: get rid of the heavy directories she is holding 2: try to promote her advertisements to me. Sales Ninjas will build rapport first. Just use common sense, you walk into someone’s office uninvited with no prior conversation or schedule and you expect to sell them on the spot? Be real!

>> She cares more about selling her stuff, which is what i call a Seller Focused Mindset. Talking how good her product is is about the Seller. She need to switch to a Buyer Focused Mindset. How?

>> Ask great questions. Questioning skill, or some call probing or interviewing or needs analysis skill is a skill that all sales people must be great at but apparently pretty weak in.

What sort of business are you in? I see you have some books and cds there (i have a display right in front of my office), what are they? Who are your clients? I asked because as a directory sales person, i see a lot of clients and they may need your sales training. Why don’t we keep in touch? Can i have your business card so i can refer to you anyone who is looking for training. (you give before you take).

You seem to be very successful (compliments and praise boost egos!), how do you plan to grow your business further? (Boom! this is a lead in to sell her advertisement to reinforce my strategies and plan – but of course she never cared to asked). I will then tell her, well i plan to A, B and C, which she should then come back, sounds great, it seems you know what you want to accomplish already, i have something that may be able to help you achieve some of your plans, i work by planning too, how about we schedule a time some time next week so i can come see you and understand more of what your business goals are and see if i am able to help you out. How does that sound?

If she uses the Sales Ninja approach, i will grant her a meet up on the spot! I only deal with professionals, not amateurs. And i’m sure i’m not the only one out there expecting the best.

>> Never argue or try to persuade or convince. When i said, this directory won’t reach the people i reach. She went into the ‘i also have an online version’ mode. Terrible. She should have clarified with me, “What makes you think so?” or “What have been your experience with our directory?” or “Which method do you prefer then?” If i say, i prefer online strategies. The most likely response from MOST sales people when they hear a need will be = Well, we also have online, bla bla.. Yuck! Sales Ninjas would go, why online? Is it ok you share with me some of what your online strategies are? Sales Ninjas always get information not just give information.

>> Never bother to get contact. Maybe i don’t have a need right now. How about 3 months from now? 6 months? 1 year from now? Sales people must understand they need to get in front of the buyers when buyers are ready to buy and not just when you want to sell. Buyer needs will be created by events or situations or great questioning techniques of a sales person. How is she going to sell me if she doesn’t even have my email or phone number? She thinks i don’t have a need (or rather she didn’t identify it), so don’t bother keeping in touch with this chap. Can i suggest it takes multiple contacts before a buyer wants to buy anything from the seller? Prospecting is not just about walking into someone’s door and hoping this person wants to buy from you. It’s keep prospecting, keep educating and keep keeping in touch.

Why so many sales people struggle out there? Because they have old sales mindsets and uses ancient sales methods and techniques. This was meant to be a short post but the more i write the more emotional i get. I hate to see sales people struggle. I love selling. I’m very successful at selling. Coming from the bottom of society if i can make it others can make it too! And that’s my goal, i will transform all these sales people into the ultimate sales professional – The Sales Ninjas!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

Been selling for 10, 20, 30 years? That’s great. Or was it 1 years experience repeated 10 times? In Sales Ninja world: Experience ≠ Results. Experience gives you a higher confident level because you are familiar with the product or the process. The key question here is, are you producing more sales and making more money every single year? If yes, i congratulate you, keep practicing what you are doing because results matter. If your performance is not going UP, then here are 2 suggestions for you:

1 >> Keep pushing yourself. Remember when you got started? How blazing your fire was? How much time you spend hitting the floors and punching the numbers on the phone to get appointments? The more years you are in selling, the more it turns you into an order-taker, mostly doing visitings and servicings and taking orders from your customers. That’s not selling.

I have a public listed client who dominates the market with more than 50% market share. With over 20 years in the business the relationship with the clients are solidly strong. The CEO launched a new product and wants the team to sell it to the clients. The results were miserable. Experience field reps with strong relationships with their existing customers unable to cross sell other products. Why? Very experienced sales people, but they forgot how to sell, they were servicing. Which leads me to point number 2…

2 >> Go back to the basics. Selling is all about mastering all the basics and practicing all the basics. It does not matter how experienced you are, you must use the basic skills of selling at all times. The more i conduct sales trainings in Malaysia or for that matter any other countries across the world, the more i realize how important mastering the basics are. Most sales people know the basics, but they have not mastered all of them. They just do a few of this and a few of that. That’s not Sales Best Practices. It’s called Sales Best Practices because it must always be… Practiced!

No skilled athlete or fighter is going to say, i’ve swinged a few times, i’m the master, i don’t need to swing anymore, let’s do something else. Michael Jordan is famous for a story of him shooting 1000 baskets in his practices before he stops. That’s practicing the basics. A fighter before a battle practices straight punches, the most basic of all punches, but he/she keeps practicing that, why?? Because that’s Best Practices – it must always be practiced!

My view is this, it does not matter what you know or how much you know or how long you’ve been selling. It’s results – period!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

Email came in today with Gary Halbert, a legendary direct marketer’s saying “You will only succeed through Movement not Meditation”! Wow! So true! You can sit there and visualize all the prospects converting to customers. You can do all the law of attraction you want, but ultimately, it must be combined with movement, action, execution or in Sales Ninja terminology – PRACTICE! So pick up the phone and do your cold calls. Send that email out to follow-up on your prospects. Ask for referrals. Don’t just sit there, do something that brings you sales, that makes you money! Do it… NOW!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter