The Art of Sales with Art Sobczak

Too many sales calls wander aimlessly and end without accomplishing anything. Often, that's because the "accomplishment" itself was never defined. You'll hear how and why to set your "Primary Objective" for your sales calls, so you'll actually achieve them more often.

The fear of hearing "no" prevents activity and sales more than anything else.  It doesn't need to be that way, and shouldn't.  You'll hear how to focus on what is really most important, which makes you indifferent to no's, and motivated to do what you need to, to get the success you want.

It's a psychological principle that people's desire for things increase in relation to its scarcity. There are many ways this is used in sales, and life in general. (It might be why the title of this episode intrigued you.) You'll hear how you can use it in your own sales.

Many sales opportunities are lost due to the bad choices of words that salespeople use. They say things to actually create objections that were never there in the first place. In this episode you'll hear examples of these, and what to do to avoid them.

The old saying is true: "The fortune is in the follow up." BUT, only if you actually get to prospects and customers to show up, and have done something since the previous contact. Art shares a couple of simple questions to get them to set the follow-up date, AND agree to take some action that keeps the sales process moving.

A common complaint of salespeople is that prospects don't move. They don't take action. So pipelines get clogged up. And it's the salesperson's own fault. In this episode Art shares a simple question that will help people actually see themselves taking action, which is a prerequisite for anyone doing anything. You'll be able to adapt the question for your own calls, and get more people moving toda...

 A special Thanksgiving message today about gratefulness, that actually should be applied every day of the year. Your life will be enriched, as well as those around you.

Many prospecting calls start with, "Are you the person there who handles the purchasing of...?" Which is the wrong thing to say. Really, who says that? Salespeople. And it creates instant resistance. Art shares what to say instead to create interest, and still be sure you are talking to the right person.

There is no magic pill, secret sauce, or easy button in sales, although many seek it. Every ultra-successful sales pro has mastered the basics. You can, and should too. In this episode Art covers the steps in the sales process, the most important keys to success, and the mistakes to avoid.

Something that anyone who has ever made a prospecting call has experienced is the quick brush off attempt. Most salespeople give up, and feel rejected. That's the wrong thing to do, since it's not a real objection. You'll hear exactly what to say, along with examples you can use on your own calls to salvage more opportunities.

Fear is one of the strongest human motivators. It causes people to take massive action, or do nothing because it paralyzes them. And we should use it in our own sales. Professionally, and ethically of course. To help people. You'll hear exactly how, in three different areas.

It's always better to let people tell you what they want, and sell themselves in the process, than YOU telling them what you want them to buy. Art shares a simple, one sentence template that you can use by filling in two blanks.

In sales, too often the salesperson's emphasis is self-centered, with the focus on what they want... the meeting, the sale, the commission. And that is evidenced by product pitches, irrelevant and unfocused messaging that is not personalized. Professional sales is all about relationships, not just getting the deal. Casey Jacox wrote the book on that, "Win the Relationship and Not the Deal," and sh...

We all love to hear from prospects who contact us and seem ready to buy. Some are in a great hurry to get price quote, proposal and other information urgently. But, all of those do not really intend on buying from you. In this episode, Art shows how to sort through and find the real buyers, and not waste time with those who will never buy from you.

Asking "What is your budget?", or "Do you have anything left in your budget?" typically results in an objection. The fact is, if you are talking to the right person, and the need for what they want is strong enough, they will find a way to get the money. Art shares a story about a call he received where the rep killed the call with his question, and what he--and you could do instead to get people...

The biggest problem in sales is people presenting what they want to sell, without regard for what the other person might be interested in. And that causes objections. It's really not that tough to do things the right way. To recommend instead of present. But it needs to be done in the right way, at the right time. Art shares his simple four-step process for doing just that, so you can get more agr...

Many sales calls are doomed because the sales rep told himself so before the call. You might not win them all, but if you don't think you'll win, you'll likely get very few. Art discusses the importance of your thoughts going into any sales situation--or competition--and shares a personal story.

Many jobs that aren't considered sales, actually involve a lot of selling. Casino dealers are in that category. Art shares his recent, positive Las Vegas experience and how the dealers at one casino were the ultimate sales pros.

When people fail at sales, and when individual calls are not successful, the fate has been determined well before they ever speak with prospects and customers. It's due to their self-centered mindset. Here are specific questions to ask yourself about your prospects and customers to think about them, and what they want in order to guide your attitude and messaging.

As the intro to the show states, "everyone sells every day," regardless of whether it is someone's actual job. In this episode Art shares an experience that most have had: listing something for sale and dealing with potential buyers. He shares mistakes to avoid, and what to do to get a sale, at full price.

Some suggest that in sales we never ask a question to which someone can respond with a "no." That's not only false, there are many situations where we are looking for a quick "no." You'll hear when, why, and how to get that "no" to save time and move on to better prospects.

Sales reps create more objections than were ever there to begin with. They do so by talking too much about things the other person is not interested in. It's simple to avoid. Art shares specifics as to how.

Many sales are lost due to non-existent, or poor follow-up. Art shares an example of a common mistake sales reps make that cost them, and what to do to turn more follow-ups into sales.

The fear of rejection is what stops many salespeople from being successful, and has prevented many others from even getting into sales. It should not, and does not need to be that way. Art discusses what rejection really is, how you can avoid it, never feel rejected again in sales, and even accomplish things when you get no's.

Far too many people have the "I, I's," meaning they mostly talk about themselves and what they think. That's not a good idea for life in general, and it is fatal for sales reps. Art shares an example of how it happened to him, and what we should do to make our recommendations more sensory, and all about the listener, so that they take the action you want.