Here are a few expert-level tips and a few methods for dealing with no’s to help you fall into the latter category.

RELATED: How to Win Back Lost Customers (14 Ways)

Up Next:

1. Tips About How To Deal With Negative Pushback
   1. Validate
   2. Correct Only Misunderstandings
   3. Avoid Yes/No Questions
   4. Determine the Reason For the No
2. Methods for How to Deal with Negative Pushback
   1. Negative Reverse Selling
   2. The LOC Method

Tips about How to Deal With Negative Pushback

Validate

When making a sale, always keep this point in the back of your mind: the customer’s positions are always good ones. You should never invalidate their point or opinion by saying something that amounts to “no, you’re wrong.”

In fact, 90% of the time (the exceptions are explained in the “correct only misunderstandings” section below), you should agree with them wholeheartedly with something like “absolutely, that’s a great point, and it’s precisely why [insert your sales pitch here].”

Constant validations of the customer’s thoughts and opinions will put them in a good mood, which makes them more likely to buy. It will also make them feel in control of the sale, which is a good thing for any sales pitch.

Correct Only Misunderstandings

The only time you should correct a customer during your sales pitch is when the views they are expressing are the clear result of a misunderstanding. If they are talking about your market and are obviously misinformed, for example, it’s okay to explain the reality to them.

Even in this case, you need to be very gentle not to appear you are lecturing the customer; no one wants to be talked down to. Try something like, “that’s actually what we thought for a long time too, but eventually, we realized that [insert sales pitch].”

Never correct a customer just because you disagree with them.

Avoid Yes/No Questions

Customers are naturally wary of sales pitches, and a yes/no question is very likely to result in a straight-up “no.” That will completely close the door in your face, which you obviously want to avoid. Instead, ask open-ended questions that let you find out more about the customer’s needs and desires.

This tip is especially useful when you’re experiencing pushback because asking questions about why the customer is concerned about a product or service is an excellent way to make them feel in control of the situation. It’s also a good way to find out what you need to do to course-correct your pitch.

RELATED: Why Asking Questions in Sales is Important

Determine the Reason For the No

If, after you deliver your sales pitch, the customer is still not interested, it’s your job to determine why not right then and there. DO NOT let them get away with “I’ll think about it and get back to you later.” It’s just an excuse that wastes a lot of your time.

Instead, try something like “when someone tells me they’re not sure, it usually means one of two things: they genuinely need more information in order to decide, or they’re not interested. Which is it for you?” This should be the only time in your pitch you pose a binary question like this.

Methods for How to Deal With Negative Pushback

Next, let’s look at two advanced techniques for dealing with pushback. These methods are tough to pull off well and require practice to master.

Negative Reverse Selling

Some customers just don’t trust salespeople, and so they’ll disagree with the pitch at all costs. If you sense this is true with a customer you’re talking to, you can shepherd them towards the sale by using reverse psychology and steering the pitch in a direction opposite where you want them to go.

By saying things like “you’re probably right, it doesn’t seem like you’re ready for this kind of product,” you’ll drive a resistant customer into defending why they are ready. In essence, you can get them to sell to themselves.

Keep in mind that negative reverse selling should only be used as a last resort, once you see that a prospect just won’t buy under normal circumstances. It’s very risky and will often result in a “no,” but it’s certainly worth a try.

The LOC Method

One of the hardest types of pushback to deal with is the kind fueled by previous negative experiences with your company. The LOC method (listen, own, choose) is a method for handling prior negative experience pushback. It’s an extremely delicate procedure, though, and should be dealt with the same care as defusing a bomb.

First, you need to listen to everything negative your customer has to say about their prior experience. Do not interrupt them. Let them vent until all their grievances are aired.

Next, own your company’s mistakes as if they were your own. Do not defer blame. This step is essential to make the customer feel vindicated and to show them they have been heard.

Last, let the customer choose if they want to continue with your company. Assure them you understand their objections and are ready to right your wrongs, but make it clear the choice is up to them and them alone. Make sure not to come off as pushy or needy.

The sales pitch is a delicate art. And knowing how to deal with negative pushback is an important component of it. Let this quick overview guide you, and your performance when you deal with negative pushback is sure to improve.

Up Next:

• Email Prospecting vs Cold Calling: What’s Best?
• 5 Best Practices to Deal with Phone Anxiety As a Sales Rep
• Top 3 Things You Need to Perfect Your Sales Cadence

RELATED: How to Train New Salespeople When You’re Not in the Office

In This Article:

1. Make Sure It’s a Slump
2. Stay Up-to-Date
3. Revisit Positive Reviews
4. Listen to Motivational Podcasts
5. Micromanage Your Process
6. Be a Helper, Not a Closer
7. Teach Less Experienced Salespeople
8. Open Up to Your Peers

Make Sure It’s a Slump

Before you try addressing a slump, make sure it’s actually a slump and not just a decrease in performance due to a totally different reason!

Keep in mind, for example, that adjustments require you to go through a brief period of decreased performance. Are you trying a new sales technique that you think will improve your performance in the long run? Then it will probably cause a lull that you might mistake for a slump in the short term.

There is a myriad of reasons for performance dip that might look like slumps but are actually not. Before you can start working on a cure for bad performance, you need to determine the cause.

Stay Up-to-Dateavoid sales slumps

Being out of touch with current trends is not a good position for a salesperson. If a salesperson loses touch with what their customers want at the moment, they may find they are suddenly unable to sell as efficiently.

To avoid sales slumps, be sure to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in pop culture and the wider world around it, especially if there are changes directly related to your target market.

Revisit Positive Reviews

To be the best salesperson you can be, you need to remain passionate about the product. Perhaps the best way to do that is by revisiting positive testimonials from your satisfied customers.

The other benefit of this practice is that you learn exactly what customers love about your product. That knowledge will improve your sales pitches since you will have a better feel for what consumers want.

Listen to Motivational Podcasts

It’s not easy to stay motivated in a profession where the vast majority of prospects give you a hard “no.” But salespeople need to find ways to keep motivated anyway because losing motivation will result in decreased job performance.

To avoid sales slumps, you need to surround yourself with encouragement. One of the best ways to do that is by listening to motivational podcasts. You can consume them while commuting, doing chores, walking the dog, or cooking, and audio is a fantastic medium to lift spirits if the host knows how to be inspirational.

There are lots of great motivational podcasts specifically about sales.

Micromanage Your Process

Sales is a very temperamental business. It’s very easy to throw off your sales rhythm with even a small change in your routine. Sometimes, the change can be so small that you don’t even know you made it unless you take some time to think about it!

To avoid sales slumps, try to maintain your work-related schedule as militantly as possible. If you do find yourself in a slump, systematically pick apart your plan to see what you are doing differently.

Be a Helper, Not a Closer

Sales slumps are usually preceded by periods of sales fatigue. If you deal with the fatigue correctly, you can often avert the slump from happening at all!

Possibly the best way to deal with sales fatigue is by focusing on helping your customers rather than closing. Give it a try: during your next few sales pitches, focus on helping the prospect understand your product and your market better. Don’t even mention the sale. If you take away the possibility of closing, you’ll be able to de-stress and focus on the other parts of your sales pitch. It’s a valuable exercise for every sales rep to go through every now and then in order to avoid sales slumps.

RELATED: The #1 Mistake Sales Reps are Making Right Now

Teach Less Experienced Salespeople

Teaching is actually an extremely effective method of learning; imparting some of the things you’ve learned about sales to less experienced salespeople is an effective way to cement them in your mind. It’s also a nice ego boost because it reminds you that you actually know a lot about your industry.

Remembering that you know a lot about sales is a self-fulfilling prophecy; the added confidence will help you perform better and avoid sales slumps.

Open Up to Your Peers

Salespeople are generally a pretty proud bunch, and they are hesitant to ask anyone — especially each other — for feedback on their technique. If you want to avoid sales slumps, you need to overcome that hesitancy.

Although sales can feel like a very competitive world, the truth is that it’s also a kind of family and people in it want to help each other out.

Avoiding sales slumps is an essential skill for sales professionals, right up there with knowing how to close. Everyone is different and is bound to have their own “treatments” to help them avoid sales slumps, but these nine tips should get you started.

TRY AS YOU MAY TO AVOID SALES SLUMPS, YOU WILL PROBABLY FALL INTO THEM FROM TIME TO TIME. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FOR HOW TO GET OUT OF A SLUMP IF THAT’S WHERE YOU FIND YOURSELF.

Up Next:

• 6 Mind-Blowing Sales Acceleration Videos on Youtube
• 9 Disruptive Sales Trends
• The Best Words That Sell Every Sales Team Should Know

In the 9 tips below, we’ve organized some ground rules that will help you do just that.

RELATED: How to Lead from Home

In This Article:

1. Determine a Meeting Schedule
2. Let Your Team Focus on Specializations
3. Judge by Results, Not Performance
4. Let Your Team Know You’re Tracking KPIs
5. Acknowledge Success
6. Listen to Ideas
7. Set Realistic Goals
8. Admit Your Flaws, Help With Theirs
9. Be Hands-Off

Work Team Ground Rules

Determine a Meeting Schedule

At the start of each month, draw up a schedule that dictates when you’re going to have every meeting during that month. Doing so will make scheduling easier for everyone. It will also make people more comfortable saving their questions about projects until the next meeting.

It might seem that very frequent team meetings is the best strategy, but it isn’t! Some companies meet at the beginning of every day, and it’s a massive time-suck that doesn’t add much at all to actual functionality. Usually, a meeting or maybe two every week will be enough.

Let Your Team Focus on Specializations

Good teams are composed of people who have diverse work specializations. A tech specialist, for instance, a PR rep, a writer, an event organizer. As a team leader, it’s your primary job to make sure each specialist gets to focus on his or her area. If they are continually doing each other’s jobs, their workflow will become muddied and confused.

Make it easy for team members to communicate with each other and ask for help from each other when needed.

Judge by Results, Not Hours ground rules

As a ground rule, make sure never to judge your team members’ performances based on the amount of time they put into their work. Because ultimately, those hours don’t matter at all if they are not producing results.

Instead of hours, judge purely based on performance. If you can view results without reminding yourself how many hours it took to produce them, that’s even better.

Let Your Team Know You’re Tracking KPIs

Make sure your team knows you’re paying attention to their performance. Not in a “you better watch your back” sort of way, but in more of a “your work is valued, and I’m keeping track attentively” kind of way. There is nothing worse for productivity than an employee feeling their work (or lack thereof) goes unnoticed, and you need to avoid that situation at all costs.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Increase Visibility for a Sales Organization

Acknowledge Success

When someone accomplishes something especially commendable, let them know they’re doing a great job! As we said, people love being acknowledged for their work.

You don’t need to throw a company party every time someone does something good — they’re another way to waste time if held too often. A pat on the back and an expression of appreciation should suffice.

Listen to Ideas

Make sure team members know they can suggest ideas. Set up an anonymous portal for employees to propose changes they think the company should implement, and publicize it.

Once the ideas start pouring in, show you are listening! Let employees know the workplace is a democracy through the policies you implement.

Set Realistic Goals ground rules

Don’t be over-enthusiastic about your goals. It’s very hard for team members to give their all when they know they’re going to come up short anyway.

In fact, it’s a good idea to let team members help suggest deadlines. When you receive a client’s project, tell them you’ll talk to your team and ask them when they think they can have it done by. Then, bring it up at your next meeting.

Here are a few more ideas on what to cover during office meetings as a team leader.

Admit Your Flaws, Help With Theirs

It’s important the upper management at any company can bond with its team members, and one important part of that is showing humanity. In other words, you need to show you are just people rather than a soulless entity calling itself a company.

To help connect, admit your flaws. Letting employees know what their company could do better not only humanizes you but also gives them chances to help fill where you really need them.

Be Hands-Off

Once you establish ground rules, step away, and let your team work. Nearly everyone hates
micromanagement, and they actually love to do what they’re good at if they are allowed some free reign.

This is also an essential step in making team members feel respected, another important aspect of creating a productive work environment.

Establishing ground rules that will let your team thrive is not easy, but it is a huge part of the team leader’s job. These 9 tips are great places to start.

Up Next:

• 7 Steps to Gain Respect from Your Sales Team
• Are You a Leader or Manager of Your Sales Team?
• The 5 Characteristics of Great Leaders

Sales acceleration is a crucial factor in ensuring that all aspects and resources of your business are moving forward. How is your top sales-people performing? Are your client base needs being adequately met and developed?

RELATED: HOW TO WIN BACK LOST CUSTOMERS (14 WAYS)

In this article;

1. Review the Company Sales Strategy
2. Software
3. Evaluate the Sales Team
4. Sales Bonus
5. Sales Territories
6. Company-Wide Training
7. Evaluate Your Client Base
8. Product Evaluations
9. Lead Time Efficiency

Put Your Company Under The Microscope.

Review the Company Sales Strategy

It is vital that your company is continuously sustaining its competitive edge in its target market. Understanding how you stand out from your competitors, and how to exploit this to grow sales revenue requires constant focus in an ever-growing marketplace.

A comprehensive sales strategy will ensure that your sales team understands the opportunities and threats in the marketplace.

Software

To ensure that your company continues to grow its sales revenue, the company software should be reviewed and updated accordingly.

Software is not only to monitor and track sales data, but it is essential to provide necessary marketing and sales training to both sales teams and clients.

Evaluate the Sales Team

Your company will have team members of differing abilities. It is good practice to run an in-house audit to ensure all staff are fully up to date on training practices and sales strategies and are implementing these with clients. A one-to-one review gives your team a chance to air any concerns or make any suggestions that may not be covered in meetings.

In addition, you should ensure all the sales team are exploiting their sales contacts and client base to grow new leads and potential clients. A new team member may have prior client relationships that can be developed for your companies benefit.

Sales Bonus

An incentive system, such as on-target bonus earnings on sales revenue, is a worthwhile strategy to motivate the whole team. While some companies are resistant to the idea of a bonus structure, it is a proven industry method to improve sales.

Target-based rewards allow a sales team to self-monitor their progress through sales metrics.

Sales Territories

If your sales team is divided into territories, are these generating the sales revenue as expected by forecasting data? Merging or dividing up sales territories can increase sales.

You can utilize your best sales representative by placing them in the high grossing territory to generate increased returns.

Company-Wide Training

Along with evaluating your sales team, you need to take a holistic view of the company as a whole. Your sales, marketing, and development teams should have a symbiotic relationship that benefits the company. These relations can be developed through in-house training days.

Evaluate Your Client Base

A company needs to maintain a constant dialogue with its client base. While it is tempting to give less time to those ‘easy’ clients who bring in a continual stream of sales revenue and only focus on new sales, it is not advisable.

A good client is always open to new product lines. However, it is vital that they feel valued by their supplier. Ensuring your sales staff are up to date on new products, along with client incentives, can help grow existing relationships and ensure that your client base feels valued.

As there are good clients, there are also bad clients. If a client is taking up a lot of your sales team’s time without placing orders or is returning too much product unsold, it may be time to cut ties with this client politely.

Product Evaluations

It is essential to monitor the quality and design of your product. Complacency may set in with a successful product, but it is critical to stay competitive.

Along with forecasting for future client needs, it is vital to monitor marketplace trends.

Lead Time Efficiency

How long it takes your product to travel through the pipeline from manufacture/design to the client will have a substantial effect on how your company is viewed in your potential marketplace. Time is money, and clients will look elsewhere if they experience repeated delays in product delivery.

It is vital to manage the journey of your product and handle any disruptions in the pipeline. Clear dialogue between departments will hi-light these issues. If the sales team is aware of a potential delay, it allows time for them to start a dialogue and reassure your clients.

Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.

It can be time-consuming to take an in-depth assessment of your own company’s strengths and weaknesses. However, the companies that make time to assess all aspects of their business are the companies that future-proof themselves against losses of sales revenue.

What’s your view on accelerating your sales revenue? Do you think these strategies work? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

UP NEXT:

• 9 SDR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR NEXT SALES REP
• 6 FORECASTING STRATEGIES FOR MORE ACCURATE SALES
• THE ULTIMATE LIST OF FOLLOW UP EMAIL SUBJECT LINE EXAMPLE

RELATED: Stop Pitching: Start Solving Problems For Your Customers

In this article:

1. What Is SPIN Selling?
2. SPIN Selling Background
   1. Situational Question
   2. Problem Question
   3. Implication Question
   4. Need or Payoff Question
3. SPIN Selling Training Tips
4. Reasons Why the SPIN Sales Technique Works
5. Is Asking SPIN Selling Questions Dead?
6. How to Utilize the SPIN Selling Technique in Today’s Sales Landscape

SPIN Selling | A Good Way to Earn Clients

Click here to jump to the infographic.

What Is SPIN Selling?

There are millions of hacks, tips, theories, and experiments that have been carried out in the sales process. SPIN selling is one of the older selling techniques that are still prevalent in this modern digital era because salespeople still find it very effective.

SPIN selling involves keeping the clients engaged by asking them different types of questions and understanding their needs instead of going on about the thing you are selling. This sales methodology works because you are not selling a product or service — you are selling a solution to their problems.

It works because it taps into the basic nature of human beings — that need to express themselves and their needs before being asked for something. It stands at the core of a consultative selling process.

The SPIN selling model works because many people look for products or services as a solution to a certain problem they have.

By asking the right questions, you’ll be able to offer the best possible solution to your client’s needs. Successful salespeople use the SPIN selling process to gain the trust of their prospects enough to close a deal.

SPIN Selling Background

Ask the right questions and get into meaningful conversations with prospects.

In his SPIN selling book, he divided a conversation into four phases and gave it the name “SPIN.”

SPIN is an acronym derived from the following:

1. Situational question
2. Problem question
3. Implication question
4. Need or payoff question

Let’s break down each section of this sales strategy and how they can lead to a closed deal with a grateful customer.

1. Situational Question

This is the introductory part of the SPIN methodology. Sales reps will ask generalized questions looking for a cue to jump on to.

Every question that falls under this phase will be related to the salesman’s product but will not reference it directly.

The following are examples of situational questions:

• How do you automate things in your sales cycle?
• What is the procedure you follow for prospecting?
• How do you track your customer’s interest and engagement?

RELATED: Salesperson Skills Of Top Performers

2. Problem Question

The salesperson will ask the prospect about the problem they face due to their current situation. This will lead to the prospect or potential client being more comfortable with the salesperson, resulting in a healthier conversation.

Examples of questions are as follows:

• Is it expensive for you to use different premium tools for small tasks?
• Do you feel that a few processes in your company can get faster?
• What challenges do you face during your current plan for this tool?

When a salesperson asks the right questions, potential clients tend to feel more at ease to share the situation they’re currently facing. If they discuss the challenges they have in achieving success, sales professionals can get a better idea of what solution to offer them to reach their goals.

3. Implication Question

Think thoroughly about the implication questions to ask prospects.

However, there is a thin line between asking them an implied question masquerading as a solution and insulting their current methods of getting things done.

Be sensitive to your client’s plight. Don’t just assume that the product or service you’re offering will dramatically increase their productivity right away.

SPIN selling questions can help you understand their situation, but it does not allow you to jump the gun in offering your product or service as a solution.

Examples of questions to ask are as follows:

• If you fail to put the data into the sheets, what would happen?
• How much time or money is this going to take from you to fix it if you’re unable to do this?
• If once you stop manually connecting it, how much will it affect your daily revenue?

4. Need or Payoff Question

The last part of the method is to try to resolve the client’s need and ask them to buy the product. This is the most important part of the SPIN selling methodology as it determines whether the prospect is interested in the idea or not.

If you genuinely listened to your potential client’s situation, you won’t have to extensively explain your product. They’ll be pointing out the benefits they can get if they purchase your product. You’ll be able to close a sale and establish a genuine relationship with your customer.

Example questions can be the following:

• What if you could cut down on time spent on a process through automation?
• Would you like to have a look at the possibilities you can achieve if you use the right tool?
• Why don’t you give it a try?
• What’s stopping you from having a free trial and testing if we are able to solve all your problems or not?

SPIN Selling Training Tips

If you’re planning to use the SPIN selling technique as your sales methodology, some ground rules to keep in mind include:

• Use this technique when your clients have yet to fully understand the problem they’re facing. If you can help them realize the pain points and offer them a solution, then you won’t have a problem building a lasting relationship with them.
• Listen carefully to your client’s answers. This is the only way to present them with a solution that will address their problems effectively.
• What works for one customer may not effectively solve the problem of another. Though they may have similar general issues, the specifics of each client may differ depending on the situation they’re currently facing.
• Research is the key! Don’t jump in without knowing anything and instead, make sure you ask questions relevant to your client’s problem.
• Be aware of time limits. Talking about problems and possible solutions may go on for hours if unchecked but be wary of the time you spend in sales discussions.
• Prepare for your customers to ask their own questions. Because the Internet is more accessible now, people tend to do their own research ahead of scheduled sales calls.
• Ask questions to keep the conversation going for you to get more information, and don’t just check off questions like a checklist. Remember, every customer has different needs.
• SPIN selling is just the first step to fixing your client’s problem areas. If they won’t use your product or service properly, then the solution they want won’t be achieved.
• SPIN selling is just a methodology, not the sales bible. In some cases, the SPIN selling model may not be the best strategy to use for closing a deal.

Reasons Why the SPIN Sales Technique Works

Make conversations all about the customer and not what you’re selling.

Any successful sales deal starts with a productive conversation between a salesperson and a prospect. With any sales conversation, the prospect must talk more than the salesperson.

This is achieved using the SPIN Selling technique since it revolves around the salesperson asking questions. In this scenario, the prospect is encouraged to speak because he or she has to provide answers.

Another reason why this technique works is its flexibility. While there are general guidelines for what types of questions to ask, there’s still room for the salesperson to adjust depending on how the conversation is going.

Is Asking SPIN Selling Questions Dead?

The impact of SPIN selling on the sales industry may be huge, but some are questioning whether it’s still relevant these days. This is especially true for those who prefer Social Selling over the SPIN Selling technique.

Some sales professionals, including Rackham, don’t think you should discount it just yet. It may have been created in 1988, but they believe all it needs is to be taken into the future and made relevant for the current sales industry.

Despite being the ultimate guide on how to close a sale via telephone, SPIN selling is still relevant in the digital era. The principles of SPIN selling can transfer to email, article, copy, ads and other online resources.

Staying ahead of the crowd in an online world means standing out. Research means you can build a picture about your prospect and the Situation and Problem stages become easy. Standing out with the right question informs your customer that you understand their needs and have paid attention to their problems, which should put you in a great position to build a good relationship.

Rackham tells us that the three ways to describe your offerings are: –

• Features
• Advantages
• Benefits

The FAB structure is a clear rule which focuses on the characteristics of your product in the context of the customer’s needs.

How to Utilize the SPIN Selling Technique in Today’s Sales Landscape

During the 2016 Association of Professional Sales (APS) conference in London, Rackham showed delegates how to update the SPIN technique for the modern sales environment.

Situational Questions

These days, prospects are more hesitant now about answering situational questions. People aren’t really interested in providing answers to questions about them that the rep could’ve researched beforehand.

When it comes to situational questions, the original guidelines of SPIN selling still stand — avoid asking questions from the prospect for the sake of filling out a form or ticking items off a checklist. If you need to ask situational questions, just ask them the essentials, and don’t overload the prospect with questions that are not necessary.

Problem Questions

Originally, these questions helped the rep find an opportunity to position what they’re selling as a solution to the prospect’s problem. These days, it’s all about anticipating what obstacles the prospect could face in the future — something they haven’t even considered yet.

Implication Questions 

According to Rackham, this is a question most top-performing reps ask more compared to their peers. By asking implication questions, the rep is forcing the prospect to think about the kinds of situations they’ll face if they don’t solve their problem.

Reps can also combine this with the prospect’s newly-considered potential obstacles that came about when they answered problem questions. This is where the rep can take advantage and try to push the prospect’s decision-making process in their favor.

Payoff Questions

Once the prospect has considered the potential obstacles they’ll face, this is where the rep can highlight the value their offered solution can bring. However, this has been updated since the rep has now introduced unforeseen obstacles.

Rather than cater to their previous needs, the rep must also be able to show the prospect how they can cater to the newly-anticipated needs of the prospect.

The SPIN selling technique can be the most effective way of earning clients if you know and understand the entire process. When it comes to major sales and solution selling, every day can be a new challenge.

Here are a few stats that show exactly why SPIN selling is so important:

Don’t forget to download, save, or share this handy infographic about SPIN selling for reference:

The best conversations revolve around a client’s needs and the solution to their problems, instead of touting a product’s benefits. Being a consultant and not a salesperson will help you gain a prospect’s trust and turn them into a customer down the line for sales success.

Need more visuals? The video below would also help you understand what SPIN selling is:

Have you tried SPIN selling? Which phase is more challenging for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

Up Next: 

• Sales Best Practices Every Sales Professional Should Know
• Asking Questions In Sales – What You Need To Know
• 7 Tips For More Effective Sales Meetings

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 11, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

RELATED: 14 SKILLS SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE HAVE MASTERED

In this article:

1. What is a Sales Development Representative?
2. A Day in the Life of a Sales Development Representative
   • 6:15 am – Wake Up
   • 6:30 am – Exercise
   • 7:15 am – Breakfast
   • 7:30 am – Morning Commute
   • 8:00 am – Arrive at the Office
   • 8:45 am – Stand up Team Meeting
   • 9 am – Power Calls
   • 10:30 am – Follow-up Emails
   • 11:30 am – Daily Sales Meeting
   • 12 pm – Lunch
   • 1 pm – Social Media, Emails and Follow-up Calls
   • 3 pm – Afternoon Break
   • 3:15 pm – Wrap Up and Next Day Preparation
   • 5 pm – Home Time
   • 10 pm – Bedtime

Sales Development Representative Schedule

What is a Sales Development Representative?

An SDR’s responsibility is to focus on inbound lead qualification, and process leads through the sales cycle by qualifying prospects and setting sales appointments.

Traditionally phone-based, SDRs now connect with organizations using a variety of methods.

SDRs get their leads from a variety of sources:

• Advertising and marketing, for example, on social media.
• Leads generated by BDRs
• Inbound
• SEO
• Referrals

SDRs must quickly respond and contact inbound leads within minutes. They use tools such as social media, phone, and email, as well as mastering lead generation software and other CRM platforms.

At the qualifying stage, the SDR ensures that the lead is interested and labeled as acceptable. This is done through lead scoring. The customer hits a pre-set score and is then called, and hopefully, an appointment is booked.

SDRs engage with leads through nurturing and monitoring behaviors. They identify who is a prospect, i.e., who is a potential going to buy, and who is a suspect, i.e., who is not going to buy. The leads are funneled through automated platforms, and the SDR sets out to book appointments.

The difference between a good and great SDR is the skills they grasp. Great salespeople must utilize their skills and tools to the max in an age where buyers are on a different online journey and are not responsive to pushy tactics.

A Day in the Life of an SDR

6:15 am
Wake Up

Many sales reps start their day early, particularly if they work with customers across various time zones.

SDRs need to feel bright and confident throughout the day, so the morning routine is crucial to reflect that mood.

TIP – Don’t hit that snooze button! Wake up after the first alarm and kick start your brain to feel on top of the day. If you already feel behind as soon as you wake up, your mindset will continue that theme.

6:30 am
Exercise

Top sales development representatives know that even a five-minute burst of exercise or meditation improves focus and increases energy. Getting the blood flowing first thing wakes up your whole body and diminishes any sluggish feelings. Meditation is an excellent method for channeling energy, which can be used throughout the busy day.

TIP – Download a high-intensity exercise app or meditation app, and get a quick workout done before you hit the shower.

7:15 am
Breakfast

People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Sales reps have to fuel their day without overeating, so they are energized to start the working day.

TIP – Don’t eat on the go, unless your commute allows you to sit down and enjoy your breakfast, for example, on a train with a table. Eat a nutritional breakfast balanced with carbs, protein, and fiber for energy and to keep you feeling full.

7:30 am
Morning Commute

Sales development representatives use their commute time to indulge in books (audiobooks), podcasts, relevant news, or social media – anything that relates to their work or customers.

8:00 am
Arrive at the Office

Few SDRs arrive at work just a few minutes before their set start time, usually, 9 am. Great sales reps will come around 8:30, or sooner, and get organized for the day.

Check emails while looking out for priority messages, checking social media, and looking for articles and insight are all done first.

TIP – Any emails that take a few minutes to respond to, get them out of the way, ready to prioritize the remaining tasks.

Preparation

Prospecting early (or ideally, the previous afternoon) allows an SDR to have a customer list, ready to go when they start their working day. Customers are prioritized, and relevant insights are based on roles and characteristics.

SDRs don’t waste time on the wrong activities. They spend time getting to know their ICP (ideal customer profile) to reduce research time, cap investigation time, and determine if their customers qualify as prospects or suspects.

8:45 am
Stand up Team Meeting

Sales reps stand up meetings should leave the team engaged and inspired for a full-on days’ work.

9 am
Power Calls

Disciplined SDRs create some call blocks in the morning, usually between 9:00-10:30 for first-time calls, factoring in short comfort breaks. Often, prospects are scheduled in the CRM from the previous analysis. Each call is personalized and based on research. SDRs ask qualifying questions, discuss pain points, and offer solutions to help their customers.

Sales reps connect with C-level decision-makers as soon as possible. That way, they don’t have to exert too much effort making their sales talk on someone who isn’t even part of the decision-making process.

TIP – According to Michael Pedone, CEO at Salesbuzz, SDRs should make ‘first-time’ calls in the morning when they have more energy. Follow-up calls should be done in the afternoon because they are easier to make and require less effort.

10:30 am
Follow-up Emails

Emails are used to follow up calls, providing valuable information and insights to customers. Further contacts (follow-up emails and follow-up calls) are scheduled using automation tools.

11:30 am
Daily Sales Meeting

Successful companies gather their sales staff for daily meetings, even for 30 minutes a day, to provide training, cover deals that are being closed, and tackle communication issues, for example. Having consistent habits in sales makes for a nice living.

TIP – Implementing a daily sales meeting can increase sales. Utilize the experience of anyone around you to become a better salesperson and master your craft.

12 pm
Lunch

Some SDRs use their time to socialize, make more connections, exercise, or just eat a delicious, well-deserved lunch.

TIP – Don’t eat at your desk. Taking a full break away from your desk will make you more afternoon-efficient.

1 pm
Social Media, Emails and Follow-up Calls

After lunch, sales development representatives take time to monitor LinkedIn, check and respond to emails, and get ready to make their follow-up calls. More call blocks are scheduled, for example, 2 pm-3 pm, to discipline the best type of contact.

3 pm
Afternoon Break

Efficient sales development representatives take regular breaks. These are great times to get to know colleagues or go for a quick walk.

3:15 pm
Wrap Up and Next Day Preparation

Sales reps use the late afternoon to finalize any contact, complete any outstanding tasks, and build on research for the following day’s calls.

5 pm
Home Time!

Satisfied customers (and leaders) all round! After-work socializing and events are a great way SDRs make connections and share best practices.

10 pm
Bedtime

Getting at least eight hours of sleep at night is recommended for full rest and optimal strength and focus for the next day.

TIP – Before bedding down, prepare yourself for the following day. Get your clothes ready, prepare meals, pack your bag ready, etc. Doing this not only saves time the next morning but helps you relax at night knowing you’re prepared.

Of course, every salesperson is different, as is every sales organization and every customer profile. Thus, SDRs must work to a pattern that suits them and produces the highest revenue figures for their company.

How does your sales schedule differ from ours? What other tips can you provide? Share your comments in the section below.

Up Next:

• 9 SDR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR NEXT SALES REP
• WHAT 3 TOP SDR LEADERS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW
• THE BEST WORDS THAT SELL EVERY SALES TEAM SHOULD KNOW

RELATED: THE ULTIMATE LIST OF FOLLOW UP EMAIL SUBJECT LINE EXAMPLES

In this article

1. Cold Emails
2. How To Email Someone You Don’t Know
   
   • Use Correct Headers
   • Address The Receiver
   • Make It Relevant
   • Keep It Simple
3. Common Cold Email Mistakes
4. Why Should You Send Cold Emails?
5. When Should You Send Cold Emails?
6. How Many Cold Emails Should You Send Per Day?

Cold Emails cold messaging

Cold emails are automatic emails that are sent to potential clients or collaborators without prior contact. Cold emails usually come in templates, and it’s a subset of email marketing.

Cold emails usually consist of the sender’s name and information, job description, content for the receiver, a potential request, and an action call.

There are various templates of cold emails and numerous mistakes that can make your emails look unprofessional and spam-like. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them.

How To Email Someone You Don’t Know cold messaging

When we are sending out cold emails, certain mistakes will make our emails look like spam and will repulse the receiver. Avoiding these mistakes can help your business to be more successful by bringing in more customers.

Use Correct Headers

An email header shows the receiver where the email is coming from and whether it’s spam or not. Always use your real name and personal or corporate email address to confirm the receiver that you’re a real person, with genuine intentions.

Address the Receiver

Addressing the receiver with their name will show them that your email is sent explicitly to them and not randomly through an internet search.

Make It Relevant cold messaging

To get the attention of the receiver, you should make your point apparent. Be clear about your intentions; whether you have an offer for them, or you’re asking them to help you – it needs to be obvious.

Focus on the benefits of your possible services or collaboration. But do not overkill it by creating hypothetical situations.

Keep It Simple

Keep your emails simple and to the point. Lengthy introductions make it difficult to read and make it sound dull and spam-like. You don’t need to make lengthy introductions unless you’re mentioning a mutual contact.

Keep the subject line relevant and clean. A subject line is supposed to explain to the receiver exactly what they’ll read in the email itself. Avoid writing “urgent”, “please read”, “dear x” etc. Follow up email subject lines are crucial to getting people to click on your email and, therefore, the key to increasing sales conversion rates.

Catching your prospect’s attention is half the battle, so the follow-up email subject line, although a seemingly minor amount of work, could be the difference between starting a new client relationship or saying goodbye to that person forever.

Common Cold Email Mistakes

There are common cold email mistakes that can cost you your sales and your customers.

Sounding Too Robotic

If you use big words to sound professional, you might end up sounding like a robot. Avoid using a lot of generic marketing, sales terms in your email. It’ll have a negative effect on the potential customer, and they will not reply. Try writing your cold emails as you’re talking to that person.

Generic Descriptions cold messaging

When you start your email with a long introduction about the different types of work your company does and keep rambling, it will turn off customers. You don’t want to sound too arrogant by bragging about your company, so focus on your message instead.

Bad Introduction

Starting an email with “Hello, you don’t know me but..” is one of the biggest mistakes you can do. Put yourself in the shoes of your potential customers and imaging receiving such an email. You won’t read it to the end because you know a stranger emailing you will try to sell you something.

Why Should You Send Cold Emails? cold messaging

Businesses exist because they have things to offer. But if businesses don’t have customers, they will fail. To reach out to more potential customers and potential partners, most companies end up using cold emails.

When Should You Send Cold Emails?

According to researchers, the best time to send out cold emails is 10 am EST. You can also find the best time for your business to send cold emails by checking the openings, responses, and clicks via cold email tools. Paying attention to such reports will show you when you should send out your cold emails.

How Many Cold Emails Should You Send Per Day?

The ideal is less than 200 cold emails per day if you don’t want to be identified as a spam account. Don’t forget that there’ll be follow up emails, so this means that you have a four-part email sequence, and then 500 prospects daily are the maximum number you’d want to add. By the time you send out your fourth follow up email, you’ll be sending your 200th email that day.

In conclusion, all businesses end up using cold emails to reach out to more people. With the information provided in this article, you can craft your cold emails in a way that will bring you more business.

Share your thoughts with us in the comments section! How do you generate your cold emails while reaching out to potential customers?

UP NEXT

• 14 SKILLS SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE HAVE MASTERED
• 9 SALES TOOLS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
• SALES IS NEVER GOING BACK

In this article, XANT will give you a guide on sales prospecting methods you can utilize to maximize their benefits.

RELATED: THE SALES CADENCE TOOL YOU NEED TO GENERATE MORE LEADS

In this article:

• What is Prospecting?
• Why is Prospecting Important?
• What are Sales Prospecting Methods?
• Proven Sales Prospecting Methods and Tips
  1. Research and Preparation
  2. Qualify
  3. Prioritize
  4. Identify Key Stakeholders
  5. Be Prepared
  6. Discipline Your Call Times
  7. Use Social Media
  8. Use a Sales Platform
  9. Coaching
  10. Change Methods
  11. Using a Combination of Strategies
  12. Don’t Give Up
• Sales Prospecting Tools

Sales Prospecting Methods

What is Prospecting?

Prospecting is usually the first stage in the sales cycle. It consists of identifying future customers, also referred to as prospects. The aim of prospecting is to grow a database of likely clients, which can then be contacted in the hope of converting them to actual customers. Moving prospects through the sales funnel or sales cycle ultimately generates revenue for the business.

Why is Prospecting Important?

Prospecting takes much time and energy, but it is essential to get it right to ensure potential customers are identified, but which suits the product or service on offer.

Developing and initiating new business through the search for new buyers means finding leads and establishing customer needs.

Loyal customers, who add value to your business, are best sought while prospecting to ensure a good fit. Qualifying leads and prospects ensure there are less churn and more long-term business.

What are Sales Prospecting Methods?

Sales prospecting methods are anyway that a salesperson performs outreach to find new leads or prospects. Variations include email, events/networking, phone calls, and social media.

Proven Sales Prospecting Methods and Tips

Research and Preparation

Don’t waste too much time on research and look to limit each prospect to a few minutes, though this may largely depend on your product, service, or the value of the prospect.

Get familiar with your ICP (ideal customer profile) to reduce research time. Establish pain points that can be discussed with the prospect, so they recognize their problems for you to discuss solutions.

Assemble in-depth information about your prospects so that you can personalize the message. Establish what is important for your opportunity through blogs, social media, or company websites. Then find a reason to connect, for example, through mutual contacts or website hits.

Sales leaders should monitor the time spent on research, which could be a result of call reluctance.

Qualify

Qualify your prospects to increase the chances of them providing value to the business.

Ascertain if the prospect is feasible and fits the product or service, for example, ask questions like – do we sell in their industry? Do they fit our buyer persona? You wouldn’t contact a prospect from a small business if your target were 1,000+ employees.

Prioritize

Establish which prospects have more potential or on the size of the opportunity, particularly as a long-term customer. Doing this saves time and dedicates the best efforts to prospects that are the most likely to become customers.

Qualify prospects and assign a value for each opportunity; the higher the score, the higher priority they are. Other options are to mark prospects as low, medium, or high. Lead management software will automatically do this.

Identify Key Stakeholders

Identify key stakeholders such as the decision-makers and the influencers. Although the influencers may not have the power to say yes to the purchase, they could be the ones using your product or service and who would be an advocate.

Be Prepared

Create a list of qualified calls the day before you make the calls, or better still, delegate this work to junior sales reps. Have a call list ready to go so you can spend all your energy on speaking with prospects.

Discipline Your Call Times

Make first-time calls in the morning when salespeople generally have more energy. This will result in higher call volumes and heightened enthusiasm. Push back any follow-up calls to the afternoon, which take less time and energy. Create call blocks in your calendar to discipline this simple but effective tip from Michael Pedone, CEO at Salesbuzz. Commit to making all the calls before you move on to other tasks.

Use Social Media

Get an idea of what your prospect finds important through social media. Use Twitter’s advanced search to sort through your prospect’s feed and start a conversation.

LinkedIn is useful to discover industry news and events, which gives you an excellent excuse to strike up a conversation. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a sophisticated system supporting B2B contacting.

Use a Sales Platform

Use a good sales platform like Playbooks to establish a process for supporting and leading reps through the sales process steps.

Coaching

Only 15% of employees feel engaged, so as a sales manager, your job should be to interact more with your staff. If the sales reps don’t feel involved, they will not be as effective as they otherwise could be.

Change Methods

If something is not working, fix it! If you’re not satisfied with the results you’re getting, then research other methods to make things work for you.

Using a Combination of Strategies

A combination of prospecting methodology is best for reps to diversify and generate more interest.

Don’t Give Up

Always try to connect a few times with your prospect, and once connected, keep them in the loop at each stage of the process.

Note which activities added value to the prospecting process for use next time and assess your performance and challenges.

If prospects reject, follow up with an email to ask how you can improve.

RELATED: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE ON SALES PROSPECTING

Sales Prospecting Tools

Utilize CRM tools that boost productivity throughout each step. Take advantage of free trials to test which system works best for you and covers all your needs.

A good CRM should do the following: –

• Track sales activity
• Source new prospects
• Manage sales pipeline
• Log rep activity automatically
• Record contact information
• Personalize emails
• Automate tasks
• Track emails
• Track website visits

Use Google Alerts to track company updates and make use of AI-based calendars and time zone trackers to stay on top of things.

Correctly applying sales prospecting methods can help businesses increase sales and reach their sales goals in no time. Try a few strategies mentioned above, see what works best for you, and add value to your workflow.

Experiment with the prospecting tips we’ve shared and let us know which ones work best for you.

Up Next:

• WHY EMAIL MARKETING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR SALES PROCESS
• HOW TO CONNECT AND ENGAGE WITH C-LEVEL EXECUTIVES
• THE 9 BEST SALES PROSPECTING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES YOU CAN DO NOW

To help you sound more confident when communicating with clients or customers, we’ve put together a list of five great tips to portray that air during phone conversations.

RELATED: Cold Calling Is Not Dead: How We Built 1.1m In Pipeline Using The Phone

In this article:

1. 1. Tell, Don’t Ask
      1. Sentence Structure
      2. Intonation
   2. Be Prepared
      1. Don’t use Filler Phrases
      2. Speak with Authority
   3. Smile
   4. Speak Slowly and Deeply
   5. Assume Proper Form

Sound More Confident on the Phone: 5 Tips

Tell, Don’t Ask

When you’re talking on the phone, you should know what you’re going to say and state it authoritatively. Doing so will help you accomplish two important things.

Sentence Structure

When you can, make your questions into statements.

Instead of asking, “So what do you want to do about this situation?” try stating that “So I’m wondering what you want to do about this situation.” It’s a small change, but it makes you sound a lot more confident and commanding.

Intonation

Many people have a habit of using a rising intonation at the end of many of their sentences, also known as “upspeak.” It’s perfectly fine for questions (sentences that would be punctuated with a “?”), but it should never be used for statements if you are trying to sound confident.

Upspeaking during statements can make your tone sound more inviting and less formal, which might be a useful tool during friendly exchanges. It also discourages interruption and seeks reassurance. In business, though, it is definitely a no-no.

Be Prepared

Don’t Use Filler Phrases

Using “um, “uh,” “y’ know,” “well,” and other filler phrases kill your credibility. Whether your listener is aware of it or not, they will think of you as nervous and ineloquent.

Going over what you’re going to say over and over again will drill it into your mind, so you won’t have to trip over your words with filler.

Speak with Authority

Make your audience believe you are an expert in everything you talk about. Be prepared with statistics and anecdotal evidence that back up each of your points. If you always have something else to say on deck, you’ll never feel unconfident.

RELATED: Sales Tip — Confidence vs. Intellectual Laziness

Smile

Studies show that people can hear a speaker’s expression in their voice. If you are smiling while you say a phrase, for example, it will sound distinctly different than if you say the same phase through a frown. This is true even if you are trying to use the same intonation.

And people respond much better to a speaker who is smiling. They feel a happy orator is more confident and trustworthy.

The point is, you should try to smile while speaking on the phone. It will inspire trust and confidence, and it will make you feel better about the message you’re delivering too.

Speak Slowly and Deeply

People who leave space between their words come off as more confident in the message. Spacing out your words allows your audience time to digest them, and it conveys that you have taken the time to deliberate over each one.

People with deeper voices are also seen as more confident-sounding. This one is a bit harder to control than slowing down your speech, but try to avoid pitching your voice up into the higher registers.

Assume Proper Form

power pose for maximum confidence, although you might feel a bit silly posing like a superhero during a business call.

Good posture will also help with the depth and clarity of your voice. As we noted above, a strong voice is another key to sound more confident.

Whether in a social situation or business, confidence is king. It makes everyone gravitate towards you if you get it right, and learning how to exude confidence over the phone is a huge step in that direction.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIPS THAT HELP YOU IN SOUNDING MORE CONFIDENT OVER THE PHONE? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!

Up Next:

• • • • Five Best Practices to Deal with Phone Anxiety as a Sales Rep
      • Three Steps for Breaking Through the Fear and Doing the Hard Things
      • Secrets of Phone Prospecting with Jeb Blount, CEO of Sales Gravy

RELATED: 5 Must Read Sales Books for Inside Sales Reps

In this article:

10 Good Habits of a Salesperson

1. 1. 1. Know Your Product
      2. Be Persistent
      3. Scout Your Buyer
      4. Don’t Be ‘Salesy’
      5. Listen and Remember
      6. Show You’re Listening
      7. Look Happy
      8. Ask Good Questions
      9. Ask for Referrals
      10. Follow Up

Good Habits of a Salesperson

Know Your Product natural salesperson habits

Before you even start thinking about your sales pitch, you need to get to know the product you’re selling very, very well. Make sure you can talk about its features, know all its specs, and will be able to answer any questions about the product that is thrown at you.

If you’re pitching without knowing everything about your product, the customer will take it as a sign that you’re unprepared and don’t care enough about the sale.

Be Persistent natural salesperson habits

Most sales are not made on the first pitch. Frequently, not even the second pitch will do it, or the third. In fact, studies show that salespeople in saturated businesses often have to contact busy people about a product up to 14 times before they get a response.

Good salespeople keep that in mind, and they don’t let “no” s discourage them.

Personalize Your Pitch

Customers love personalized pitches. A personalized tone accomplishes two critical things.

First, it shows the customer that you care about who they are as a person, not just as a source of cash. You care so much, in fact, that you set aside a block of time to look into the customer’s wants and needs.

Second, a pitch that is pertinent to them specifically makes a customer’s ears prick up and keeps their attention. This is an especially important point when you’re selling a product that’s not very interesting.

Don’t Be Salesy natural salesperson habits

Even though the sale is your goal, and your customer will usually know that you don’t want to act “salesy.” Customers are naturally wary of salespeople, and you can disarm them by doing away with the sales cliches.

Instead, you want to come off as someone who loves the product and wants to share it with others.

Listen and Remember

The ability to pick up on the customer’s ongoing feelings and thoughts during a sale and change their own behavior accordingly is one of the things that sets apart decent and great salespeople.

You need to listen to everything the customer says, and file it away so you can use the information whenever it is applicable.

Show You’re Listening

Good habits of a salesperson must include excellent listening skills. Not only do you need to listen carefully, but you need to SHOW the customer that you’re doing so. Make sure you’re making eye contact and nodding at the appropriate times.

People love getting attention, and customers will gravitate towards you if they feel they are getting it.

Look Happy natural salesperson habits

If you look sad or bored when you’re making a sale, your customers might get the feeling that you are not excited about the product, that you are just reciting the same script you’ve gone through a million times.

Whether this is true or not, you don’t want to give off that appearance. Look excited about the product, and that feeling will spread to your customer.

Even if you’re on the phone, customers can detect a smile in your voice.

Ask Good Questions

The ability to ask good questions is perhaps the most useful habit of a salesperson. Good questions serve a few purposes:

• They show that the salesperson is engaged.
• They show the salesperson is interested in the customer.
• They enable the salesperson to gather information about the customer and their preferences. This will help to customize the pitch (see above).
• They “keep the customer on their toes” by forcing them to stay engaged in the sale.

Make sure whatever questions you ask are interesting and engaging, though. No “what keeps you up at night” cliches. Boring questions are the quickest way to annoy a customer.

RELATED: Why Asking Questions in Sales is Important

Ask for Referrals

Customers who you were referred to by a mutual acquaintance are much, much easier sells than leads which you don’t know at all going in — 50-70% compared to 10-30% from other lead sources. And, because of this, referrals are a huge part of a successful salesperson’s customer base.

Always be sure to ask if any colleagues of the customer would be interested before ending a meeting.

Follow Up natural salesperson habits

This is very similar to our “be persistent” point discussed above.

If you talk to a customer and don’t get a hard no, that means the door is still open. Contacting them again about the sale a week later is actually a better way to make sales than trying to push the customer towards earning the deal right off the bat.

Follow these tips (or share them with your salesperson) to move more product, succeed in your hustle, and pick up some good habits of a salesperson.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER GREAT SALES CONVERSION TIPS THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED HERE? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!

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• • 10 Benefits of Account-Based Marketing
  • How to Comp Sales Teams in a Crisis
  • 11 Insanely Effective Saas Sales Secrets Right From the Salesforce Playbook