A discussion about sales, sales tips and advice, and about those who land the deal

Author and sales expert Bob Burg continues his advice on how to build great referrals over the phone and Internet...

"Here’s an example of simply establishing a relationship: When you’re on the phone with the person for the first time (and, of course, this depends on the person, circumstances, type of product or service, etc.), establish a rapport by asking what I call, Feel-Good Questions.® These are questions (non-salesy, non-prospecty) just intended to make the person feel good about themselves, about the conversation, and about you. A couple of these questions are:

 

1. “How did you get your start in the widget business?” (This question asks them to “tell their story” – something that most people love to do but are not often asked.)

    

2. “What do you enjoy most about your work?” (By the very nature of the question, it calls for a positive response, associated with good feeling, which is associated with you.”

    

If time and situation permits, you can always ask what I call “The One KEY Question” which is, “Pat, how can I know if someone I’m speaking to would be a good prospect for you?” (Can you see how this question alone separates you from practically everyone else this person has ever spoken to?)

 

From that conversation on you’ll find that the follow-up process alluded to a few paragraphs earlier will work just as well with a phone prospect as it does with an in-person prospect.

 

1. What is the worst way to get referrals, or a mistake that you see salespeople make when trying to get referrals?

    

One of the biggest mistakes is simply displaying nervousness, and it’s typically a result of fear and/or lack of knowledge of the correct process. In other words, because the salesperson doesn’t feel equipped, he or she become very nervous and even defensive when about to ask for the referral. As a result, they cause a total lack of confidence toward them in the eyes of the potential referral source.

 

I call this a lack of “Posture.” I define posture as “When you care . . . but not that much.” You could also define posture as “The lack of emotional attachment to a desired result.”

 

When you display the appropriate posture, it goes a long way to putting the potential referral source’s mind at ease and they become much more comfortable with the idea of providing you with referrals.

 

So, how would a professional salesperson come to have such “Posture?”

 

1. By fully believing that what he or she sells is so dang good that they “owe” it to the potential referral source to ask for and receive referrals in order to help all the people the potential referral source cares about.

 

2. By becoming comfortable enough with the process that it is as natural to them as any other part of the sales process with which they are already comfortable.

 

3. By having the knowledge of “how to ask” in such a way that the prospect – as well as yourself – is totally comfortable with the process."

Great advice, Bob.  Thanks for your direction for those of us who sell via the phone and Internet.