Dick Ronding
more sales
Posted 2:59 PM on 07/15/08 -
Reply to this postShelli, what you are doing is called relationship marketing. I have been doing this in my remodeling business, but I'm useing a service called Send Out Cards. It has a contact management program that you can set up after you make the sale, and program it with your personalized, in your own handwriting, message for as long as you wish. It has over 6,000 cards in its program, and they print them, on postcards, or stuff them in an envelope, stamp and mail them for $.80 for a post card, or less, or $1.06 for a regular card. It will take you about an hour to set this up for each client, but after that, it does it all itself. You will be suprised at the number of be backers you will have with a card that thanks them for taking the time to come out an see you in the first place. Check it out at motivationalcards.biz.
TLee
Leaving Voice mails
Posted 12:13 PM on 04/09/08 -
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What's the best approach to leaving voice mails for prospects? Short and sweet with little information as to why you are calling, or enough information so they at least know why you are calling. In my first example, they might call back just to find out what the call was really regarding, since there was little information in the message-name, phone number, and a request to call back. This to me seems a little sneaky but it works well for some. In the second example, they might not call back because they think that you are just another worthless sales call without actually speaking with someone. I like to leave a WIFFM in the message if at all possible. Something that makes them say, "Really, I didn’t know that". I do fairly well with my callbacks but would like to see what others think about this topic.
ShadM
My thoughts
Posted 1:27 PM on 04/13/08 -
Reply to this postI think it is whatever works for the individual. I leave a short and sweet message like "This is Shad calling for Mr. Prospect, the number to my office is 555-5555."
98% call back rate. Now for the catch, you have to have something darn good to say, and not just "uh, do you need toner?". I ONLY do this if I have thoroughly researched the prospect or have insider info from a lead or referral source. Otherwise I leave a message that says my name and an idea for them. So again, it really just depends. I haven't ever tried Jeffrey's method of using my kids, but I think I might soon. Why not? If they aren't returning my calls anyway, what do I have to lose?
Shelli
More sales ?????
Posted 5:04 PM on 04/08/08 -
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I would like advice. I am in the auto industry and sell Hyundai's. I am actually very good at building the relationships with my customers and am very good at follow up. I contact customers every few months with different things. I send a 3 month "how are you" and try to schedule there first service appointment. I send a six month reminding them of free car washes and to see if I can answer any questions. I send an anniversary card for them and there car. I send out an 18 month for a detail service. I send out birthday cards on there birthdays. I send out reminders about 1 1/2 months before there lease is up. I send out Christmas cards. On the back of each card I ask about family that they referenced and always ask for referrals (in a nice way) I have all of these postcards made up so these are not just blah boring cards. I do not call them a lot because I see them when they come in for service and chat at that time. My problem is that I have a relationship with them and my manager thinks that I am VERY good with my customers, but he thinks I take to much time some times and wants me to sell more. (I need to sell more also if I want to pay my bills) Customers only buy car so often so what can I do.
As a side note I have an adaptive personality at work. I am a relatively quite person in private but have learned to be the people person at work and I have been told I am verrrrrrrry good at it.
haas
more sales?????
Posted 11:29 AM on 04/10/08 -
Reply to this postShelli, you are doing the right things now to be a six figure sales person in the future. As most people keep a unit 3-4 years. As you have made a great connection with your buyers it is now time to ask for referrals. After initial follow up and after the first service appointment, I would call to follow up with the customer live on the phone. After the initial conversation I would ask for referral. “anyone you know looking”, “who do you know that may need a new ride”, etc… At first it was hard but soon it just became part of the conversation. In three months I went from 10-12 units a month to averaging over 20. Follow up and customer service is the key to sales in a dealership. Work the phones. Also, take as many incoming calls to the dealership you can – stay away from the salesman huddle in the parking lot waiting for the wakeup business and the beback bus.
Chris, Idaho Realtor
Dance outside the box
Posted 11:31 AM on 04/22/08 -
Reply to this postYes, first off, great job with the touch points and such. Secondly what are triggers for a person need your product and how are you helping them find you? When you ask for referrals ask in a precise way? Who do you know who (has a kid going to graduate/just got a promotion/is expecting a baby/whatever) and appreciates the value of safe affordable transportation? ".5" Could you have an event somewhere intersting (BBQ, Drive in Theatre, Park) with your customers and their vehicles and have Awards for most miles, most customizations, most people in stuffed in the car, etc? Have them bring a friend.
thomas lee
More Sales??
Posted 4:12 PM on 04/25/08 -
Reply to this postShelli: I know this approach was used with my grandfather who bought cars every 2 years. After buying the car, the salesman would call back my grandfather after a period of time and suggest lunch as well as a service needed for the car. When my grandfather would meet this person for lunch he would have a new car that would be similar to my grandfather's tastes and suggest my grandfather take the dealer's car while he drove my grandfather's car in for service. After the service was completed, he would call my grandfather and let him know the car was available for pickup. During the time of service, my grandfather was driving around in a new car, answering questions about the new car and everyone he knew saw him in the new car. Almost each time this happened, instead of going in and paying for service on the old car, he would walk in and ask about what the new one would cost him and what type of trade-in value he could get. I don't know if you are in a position to do this, but it seemed to work for that salesperson.
Diana
Draw against commission??
Posted 10:50 AM on 04/08/08 -
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Our company gives a base salary and a DRAW against commission for the first 6 months.
Then, we go on straight commission with the DRAW still being available.
I have asked my employer and my mentor about this system and no one has answered me satisfactorily yet!
Does anyone have experience with this compensation system and can you share any insights with me?
What happens if I leave the company and still owe part of the DRAW?
BD
Draw against commission??
Posted 5:06 PM on 04/08/08 -
Reply to this postDiana, it depends on the understanding of how the draw is paid out. If its paid as "non-recoverable" then your employer typically won't request pay back. If it's "recoverable" then think of it as a loan that will typically be expected to get paid back even if you leave the employer. I say typically because there certainly are cases where employers forgive the draw much like severance pay. HTH
Sheeli
Draw against commission
Posted 5:11 PM on 04/08/08 -
Reply to this postA draw against commission is basically stating that you are given a base salary of lets say $1500. This is a guaranteed salary. As you make sales (I'm going to say that you make $150 a sale for the sake of keeping it easy) you would have to make at least 10 sales a month to make only your draw or as in the example $1500. If you were to make 20 sales a month then you would have covered your draw (1500) and made an additional $1500 for that month. Draws are usually given when you are new so that you still get a salary while learning how to do your job better. You will never owe draw.
Diana
Draw against Commission
Posted 12:52 PM on 04/09/08 -
Reply to this postThanks all! Very informative~
AL
Cold Calling
Posted 3:08 PM on 04/07/08 -
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I have been working at this company for 5 months now, and I am not seeing the results I wanted. I am basically a cold call maniac right now trying to build my customer base, but cold calling is so ridiculously boring!! I am very good at face to face sales. I love sales. My father is an awesome salesman and my grandfather and all my uncles. I learn all the time from them, but I am very limited to what I can do over the phone. I rent my product to contractors or retail stores and even residents all over the Los Angeles county area, But I sit in a cubical 2 hours away and can never really get face time. Just about every day these last two weeks I have looked at the phone as my enemy and was just disgusted with having to make another cold call!! Should I start working somewhere else that I can do outside sales or just keep pounding the phones? Our goal every day here is 2 hours of talk time which doesn't sound like much but when u think every call is an avg of 2 or 3 minutes it gets hard. I had 11 hours of talk time last week and only one rental off that 11 hours!! What do I do?
kid sensation
utilize your natural talents
Posted 6:09 PM on 04/11/08 -
Reply to this postget a new job!
Big Mac
Cold Calling
Posted 3:40 PM on 05/03/08 -
Reply to this postNot sure what your product, opening, approach, call list or objective looks like but I'll drop a few cents anyways.
I'm assuming you have the owner or decision makers name prior to calling of course.
Mr. Smith I was contacting some of the local donut shops in the area and setting some appointments for some brief meetings. I've talked to Jimmy's donuts, Sharon's donuts, Henry's donuts as well as a few others and wanted to see if I could set an appointment with you as well. I promise not to waste any of your time, as I know you are busy, and can assure you that it will be a profitable session for your store.
I will be in your area on XXX, XXX and XXX. Which of those days would work out best?
