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Are You Asking the Right Sales Questions?
Author: Elinor Stutz  | Posted: 08-06-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 9 | Rating: (80)  (?) 
You began your business with a vision of something that would bring you joy. Most likely you either had a passion for your area of expertise or considerable experience of which you wish to share your knowledge. You then put a plan and goals into action to carry you through for at least a year.
My thesis today is you need to be strong enough to say No in order to get to the opportunities where you will whole heartedly say Yes! And my suggestion to you is you must hold a futuristic vision of your business to work toward. Apply the most grandiose dream about your business imaginable. You always need the distant vision to begin working on a plan to carry you there. As a business owner, time is one of your most valuable commodities so you must guard it carefully.
And as with all plans, you continually need to review your major stepping stones to make certain you are on track. New ideas will come and go. Only implement those ideas that will greatly enhance the development of your overall plan. Otherwise, the extraneous ideas will evaporate the time in your day.
Obstacles and detours will appear from time to time to throw you off course. The best chance you have to move past these is to step away from your work to revisit your list of yearly objectives and goals as well as your spectacular vision for your business.
New entrepreneurs, in particular, suffer from the minute details that will crop up and take over the day if allowed. Even worse is when others enter the picture of wasting the time of a new business owner.
Negotiation is a word and concept you must always turn to when approached to do something out of the ordinary. As you move forward in your business, it is very important to know that a business transaction must hold something beneficial for all parties concerned. It is referred to as a win-win. You must remove any notion of an obligation.
When I first began to seek speaking engagements, I would almost take anything just to practice speaking, list the event on my website and be seen. One gentleman read my book and was anxious to know much more. He devised a plan to have me speak for two hours to a group of engineers with which he was associated. On the surface this seemed like a great idea and I was very flattered. But then reality set in. The giving, as I saw it, was all on my side. The two biggest issues were the time element and the audience neither of which were negotiable.
My true targeted audience is entrepreneurs, network marketers and beginning salespeople not engineers. Car travel would entail close to two hours of time and the instruction would have been another two hours. Given the time allotment for instruction, I would have had to share so much sales information that purchase of my products and services would have been deemed unnecessary. This would have been a very one-sided arrangement. I declined this particular opportunity.
Promise yourself from now on that you will be open to opportunity and weigh the benefits. Listen to the details presented and hear what is not being said. Rather than accepting immediately, ask many questions to make certain it will be well-worth your time. When you remain open and ask qualifying questions, you will be surprised at how much more targeted business will come your way. Practice saying,I would like to know more!
On a more positive note, I was asked to deliver a keynote speech at a Convention in Michigan where about 600 people were in attendance and, it was my core audience. This is a huge difference from the previous opportunity referred to above. The possibilities for business were greatly magnified and I greeted the opportunity as an honor to be asked. The requesting party was also thrilled as they enjoy my articles and look forward to presenting me in person to their participants. It was a win all the way around.
The footnote to this event is it was so successful, much product was sold and coaching clients were secured afterward. To this day, I still submit articles and am occasionally asked to participate as one of their experts in business.
In closing, learn from your experiences good and bad, keep your eye on your dream, and you will achieve the success you are seeking.
Additional Ideas to Build Business:
Smile as much as possible
Give every opportunity and opportunity
Question whether you are a match
Refer associates who may be better suited
Listen and hear to learn more
Ask lots of questions - Your center of influence will grow And Your Business Will Prosper
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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sales-articles/are-you-asking-the-right-sales-questions-442557.html
About the Author:Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC and Author, offers sales training,coaching,speaking and a full product line.
Smooth Sale Delivers: Professional Sales Training, Licensing, Coaching, Motivational Speaking and a Full Product Line.
Elinor's book, Nice Girls DO Get The Sale,translated into multiple languages and sells worldwide.
Call 800-704-1499 or Sign up for Sales Tips ezine.
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