SALES

CHEAT SHEET
1 Capturing Sales Leads (Filling the Sales Funnel)
Inbound Marketing involves building a strong brand online via blogs, social media, search engine
optimization (SEO) and attracting new leads with helpful, informative content. Inbound marketing is generally
permission-based and depends on building two-way relationships with potential customers once they find you
by search or social networks. Outbound marketing attempts to capture new sales leads by traditional advertising
and marketing methods that do not necessarily seek permission, such as advertising and direct mail campaigns.

vs.
Inbound Marketing (Relative Cost/Time) Outbound Marketing (Relative Cost/Time)
Blogging ($) E-mail Marketing Campaigns ($$)
Landing Pages ($) Telemarketing ($$-$$$)
Social Media Engagement ($$) Direct Mail Campaigns ($$$)
Search Engine Optimization ($$) Print Media Advertising ($$$ - $$$$)
Videos, Webinars & E-books ($$) Radio Advertising ($$$-$$$$)
Social Media Campaigns ($$) TV Advertising ($$$$)

2 Lead Segmentation & Screening

a) Classify leads based on inquiry/campaign, location, industry, date, role/title, other
b) Classify leads based on prior activity – new lead, repeat lead, existing customer
c) Prioritize leads based on “warmth” of interest, comments, answers to questions
d) Prioritize leads based on product/service account potential (size, scope, duration)
e) Assign leads to sales representatives based on territory, product/service, specialty, seniority

3 Lead Research on High Priority Leads

a) Company: location(s), industry, products/services, public/private, # of employees,
revenues, in business since..., growth/decline, divisions
b) Contact: name, title, department/division, e-mail, phone, decision-maker?
c) Competitors: name, website, market share, differentiation
d) Challenges: what do most CEOs/executives see as the biggest hurdle to success?
e) Tools: website, social networks, Hoovers, Dunn & Bradstreet, Leadlander, Jigsaw and Salesquest
 SALES
4 Making First Contact CHEAT SHEET

Goal > Get an appointment

Strategy > Set the hook by establishing needs and available solutions

To-Do > • Ideally, contact via phone or in person • Establish interest in further discussion
• Who you are, what you do to solve their problems • Find out who will be the decision maker,
• Ask them about their biggest challenge(s) or whether there will be multiple decision
makers in a team approach
• Establish preliminary qualification
(are they in the ballpark?) • Try (hard) to get the decision maker(s)
involved early
• Encourage a business level discussion
before getting into the details • Make an appointment now

• Find out if contact is the decision maker?

Tips > • Apologize for interrupting, but tell them why • Don’t do all of the talking
it will be worth their while to talk for a couple • Don’t “wimp out” on getting the appointment.
of minutes This is the main goal.
• Be personable but professional, not “salesy”
• Ask questions, wait for answers

5 First Appointment

Goals > • Build a relationship • Qualify them

• Establish your ability • Get an agreement to move forward
to solve problems

Strategy > • Listen for clues, and don’t assume anything • Add value right away by making suggestions
• Show that you have done your homework on them • Develop a need and an urgency to buy from you
• Show how you have helped other,
similar customers

To-Do > • Review and get agreement on what their • Ask them how they will evaluate, what
problems are time frame, what criteria, who will decide,
• Make clear how you can solve those problems and are there competitors?

• Ask them if they agree that you can • Give them a ballpark budget figure and ask
solve those problems them if it works for them

• Get an understanding of the budget • Help them to understand the value vs cost.
and overall process Show them examples.

• Ask them when they would like to get started • Ask them for next step – be specific as to
deliverable, date and follow-up after that step

Tips > • Continue to build a relationship, • Don’t just inform them. Don’t just offer to send
be friendly and helpful them a proposal. Establish needs and solutions,
• Don’t do a presentation unless requested or get buy-in on your solution. Focus on solution
required, but be prepared to do one if necessary selling rather than selling a product or service
• Demonstrate your expertise, and if necessary • Get solid commitment to next steps, deliverables,
bring an expert with you date/time and expected outcome
• Ask questions, wait for answers • Don’t rely on e-mail. They will ignore it.
Set a time and make the call.
• Don’t do all of the talking
 SALES
6 The Follow-Up & Close CHEAT SHEET

a) If the next step is a proposal or quote:

i. Make the proposal reflect exactly what you agreed to, nothing more.
ii. Don’t sell your product/services in the proposal. You should have already done that.
Summarize the deliverables, price and schedule.
iii. Don’t send anything unless you have a firm date/time to discuss and close. Schedule a call
or meeting to review the proposal “live”. This leaves less room to potentially misinterpret
your proposal.

b) Follow-up conversation:
i. Summarize where you are – I have done what we agreed to. Now it’s time for you to finalize the deal.
ii. What do we need to do to get this done today? If I do…, will you sign today?
iii. Establish firm steps, timing to close the deal if not today.

c) If the follow-up/close does not succeed in a signature:

i. Ask for reasons why they are not ready to close.
ii. Overcome objections (see next section).
iii. Be understanding but firm.
iv. Remind them of the value vs cost and the urgency of closing today.
v. Review your discussions up to now and ask what may have either changed
or not been covered previously.
7 Overcoming Objections CHEAT SHEET

OBJECTION RESPONSE

Too Expensive > • Remind them of your earlier conversation(s) • Remind them of the costs of other strategies
– what’s changed? • Be prepared to walk away and let them know
• Remind them of the benefits and ROI that they are not qualified
• Remind them of the costs of inaction

Not Ready Yet > • Remind them of your earlier conversation(s) • Remind them of the need for urgency,
– what’s changed? cost of waiting
• Ask them when they will be ready • Set a date/time to call when they will be ready

Not Decision • Remind them of your earlier conversation(s)

– what’s changed?
• If they refuse, consider contacting
them anyway
Maker > • If you don’t know, find out who the • Be diplomatic with the decision maker
decision maker is but summarize where you are and the
• Ask to speak directly to the benefits/ROI and urgency to get
decision maker started now

Comparison • Ask what the perceived strengths and

weaknesses are compared to your
• Ask how and when they will decide

Shopper > • Ask how you can help them to make

competition the best decision
• If I did…, would that convince you
to go with us?

For information about

sales outsourcing contact:

600 Unicorn Park Drive 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801

Telephone: (781) 460-2100 Fax: (978) 824-2301
Inquiries: [email protected]

www.mansfieldsp.com

© Copyright 2014 Mansfield Sales Partners | All rights reserved.