“Is there a budget?”

Uncovering budgets and finding out what level your prospect can invest at is a critical part of qualifying who you can do business with, especially if you are in a business where you can offer different solutions at different prices.  Unfortunately, this is a topic a lot of sales people avoid.  One of the reasons they avoid this topic is what we refer to as a “money concept” problem. Due to instructions many salespeople received when they were young… “It’s not polite to talk about money”, they now find it uncomfortable to talk with prospects about their budget. It often seems that they would rather spend time on prospects with no money than go through that “uncomfortable” process of qualifying people for money. What they fail to understand is that not talking about budgets and how much someone is willing to spend, not only wastes time, but can also put their prospect in an uncomfortable position.

First, they run the risk of telling someone a price they can’t afford. Even though they might have other options available, the prospect makes an assumption that what they have been presented with is the price and they feel forced to look elsewhere.

Second, they might make the mistake of presenting a price that is too low. They run the risk of having their offer compared to more expensive options and the prospect may draw the conclusion that what they have is in some way inferior. Often times the prospect doesn’t inform the salesperson that they are uncomfortable with what was offered. Instead, they tell them that they need time to “think it over”, when in reality they have already rejected the offer!

Solving this problem requires changing perceptions about money and learning how to ask the right questions. Once it is understood that not uncovering budgets could make prospects more uncomfortable than talking about money, it should be easier to develop a different perception about the subject.  Start out by finding out if the prospect has a budget. If they have a budget established, you need to know how much money they are willing to spend as well as who makes the decision to spend it. Not asking these questions puts you in the position where you are less likely to present an option that meets their money expectations.  If they are unwilling to share this information with you, most likely it’s because they are using you for a price check.

Remember, without knowledge of your prospect’s budget and how much they can spend, the likelihood of making the sale is greatly diminished.

“Sales Winners Are Made, Not Born”

Ever hear the phrase, “Natural born Salesperson”?  We all have.  What does it mean? I’d be hard pressed to identify that person.  If you’re thinking of someone with a terrific personality, good joke teller, life of the party…think again.  Sales winners are those professionals who continually do the things on a consistent basis that all the others won’t or can’t do.  Sales winners continually are improving, learning and remaking themselves and their skills.

To win and to grow as sales professionals, we’d like to touch on just a few “attributes” that seem to be consistent among top sales professionals.

It takes desire – a passion for sales and winning in a competitive environment.

1. Commitment – a willingness to do whatever it takes…no matter what.
2. Winners understand you never get used to rejection- they deal with it and keep going.
3. Winners don’t compare themselves to others – they create their own vision and plan…and execute…and modify as necessary.
4. Winners know that life will give you what you are willing to focus on…and fight for.
5. The world will not stop and wait…winners know they have to make it happen…every day.
6. Winners don’t invest in discouragement.  They learn from every situation and improve or change.
7. Winners keep their priorities straight.  They refuse to get “sucked in” to time wasters and dead end opportunities. They know what their time is worth.
8. Winners don’t compromise their integrity; they build trust, deliver, and play by rules.
9. Winners understand the concept of growth and improvement – in skills, in attitude, in relationships and in themselves.  They continue to excel not only for what they receive from sales – but also for what they become.
10. Winners have fun! They enjoy what they do (and it shows!) and also have a great ability to laugh…at situations and themselves.

So, are salespeople born or made?  How about doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, technicians, programmers…You get the idea.  Sales and becoming a winner is what you make of it…and yourself.