Today on Sales From the Street, we’ll talk to Dave Lorenzo, author of The 60-Second Sale, about how to develop deeper relationships with prospects and align your business goals with your lifestyle.
Dave calls the book the ultimate system for building lifelong client relationships in the blink of an eye.
Business relationships
Dave compares his concept to love at first sight: a lightning-bolt moment of magic when two people are deeply connected. Likewise, his book is about making those moments and creating the conditions that allow you to close a huge deal in 60 seconds.
The secret is having the right relationship with the right person.
Regardless of your industry, and whether you’re B2B or B2C, the process works for everyone.
A lot of salespeople are struggling to figure out how they’re going to make enough money to take care of their families.
Dave’s answer to that is that every salesperson already knows enough people to make the money they need for the month. They know enough people to make their sales quota.
Connect with people
It may be true that those people have forgotten what it is you do, or they’ve forgotten about the value you can add, so you have to refresh their memory.
Start by making a long list of everyone you know and reaching out to them. Your goal is to make sure they know what you do and how you can help them.
Once you’ve done that, those people will be out looking for people they can introduce you to.
In the past, when I’ve given this advice to struggling salespeople, they usually get themselves back on track within a few days if they follow my advice. They usually have some solid leads and some even close some deals, and though those deals aren’t huge, they are usually enough to spark some confidence.
Once you get the first one, it gives you some momentum, and relationship sales is all about having the confidence to help people.
Sales mindset
Your mindset is the key to success in sales.
If you sell security systems door-to-door but one person tells you they aren’t interested because they already have a system, you shouldn’t take that as rejection.
You hand the person a card and ask them to put it in the kitchen drawer so that later down the road when the current provider fails to meet his standards, he can call you back about changing companies.
About 90 percent of your sales career hinges on your mindset.
Lasting impression
If you’re a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a couple of days before the next meeting, call the membership person who signed you up for the chamber. Let her know that you want to make two really good connections at the event.
Given that she knows about your industry, ask her to name the most valuable people for you to target.
She’ll make a couple of suggestions, then you ask her for an introduction to those people. She’ll understand, after all, that the reason people renew their memberships to the chamber is because of the ROI.
Any chamber person worth their salt will be happy to make those introductions, and once you have a great introduction, you’ll be able to have a productive conversation.
Maximize the conversation
After the introduction, you explain that you’re thrilled she introduced you and you’ve read up on the person’s company. Then ask the other person how she gets the most out of her chamber membership.
They expect that you’re going to make a pitch. When you ask about the chamber, you’re highlighting a commonality, and you’re asking them for help that isn’t related to their business.
Then, ask her how she got into the industry that she’s in now. You’re opening a chapter in her mind where she gets to talk about herself, and she’ll start to relax a bit.
She’ll think either one of two things: either this guy is really into me, or this is the worst salesperson I’ve ever seen in my life. Either way, she will let down her guard since she isn’t anticipating a sale.
Then you ask how business is. You ask how the economy is treating her. Ask her whatever you want to know about her business.
Then you can say something about goals and targets. When you do, you’ll be speaking the language of entrepreneurs and business people rather than sounding salesy.
Then you offer to introduce her to someone who can help her achieve her goals, or you can follow up with her later.
Sales leaders
A lot of sales leaders shouldn’t be in leadership roles. They simply get thrust there because they are the best salesperson.
Dave’s philosophy is to determine your best salesperson and then get out of his way. Remove all the barriers and let him sell.
Your best managers should be capable of three things:
- Removing barriers to free their best people to soar.
- Onboarding people and training them effectively so they know how to develop deep relationships.
- Coaching and mentoring people to maintain their attitudes and confidence.
The worst thing you can do to your salespeople is forcing them to do something unnatural, and the best thing you can do is challenge them.
Rule of thumb
Each industry is different.
For every 100 relationships you develop, about 10 will result in business in the short term. about 15-20 will result in business within the next 60-90 days. Over the next six months, about 35-40 percent of those relationships will produce business.
Be very intentional about the people you meet in a business setting.
Of everyone you’ve met in college or in your town, two-thirds of those people are going to either refer business to you or do business with you.
Dave has a list of 20 names in his office that will be future clients. He works every day to find people in those companies that he can call or email and he reaches out to them.
Get three pieces of stationery.
Send one to a client thanking him for doing business with you. Include a business card so that if someone needs your services, he can share your card.
Send another to someone who referred business to you in the past thanking them for their help.
Send the third to someone you want to work with who has been highlighted in the news, either online or in the physical newspaper.
Do three cards every day, even on Saturday and Sunday.
“The 60-Second Sale” episode resources
You can connect with Dave at his website, DaveLorenzo.com. You can find all kinds of free stuff there, including about 300 articles and 500 videos.
Grab a copy of The 60-Second Sale: The Ultimate System for Building Lifelong Client Relationships in the Blink of an Eye
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