Next to the analytics feature in SpringDeck, the CRM tab is where you can spend a lot of time analyzing your digital content. CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management”, and without it you will not have a very effective sales process. We built a great CRM feature into SpringDeck allowing you to see who is receiving product emails, when potential clients open them, and what files they are downloading and interacting with. All of this information combined gives you insights on the best way to follow up with clients, and data on how your product files are performing.
Price objections are a way of life for sales professionals, but they don’t have to hold you back! So we asked our SpringDeck team member, Kevin Tromp, to share some of his own personal insights for overcoming price objections and closing the deal!
“Everyone who participates in sales will be faced with price objections. I believe it’s important to remember that most people are happy to spend their money once they realize there’s more value in having your product than holding onto their money. If you haven’t done a superb job of building value in the client’s mind in order to decrease their money resistance, then you need to find out why by asking questions.
A customer will purchase a product if it will solve a problem or simplify his or her life, so communicate those areas strongly. I’ve received pushback on pricing many times, and I restate the value, ask several intriguing questions, and then simply ask the client, ‘What do you think is a fair price?’ or “Why is this price too high for you?’. By asking these questions, you are trying to get into your client’s mind.
I remember a time when I was proposing a manufacturer buy a 12-month commitment of services. I did everything perfect, from presenting the information clearly and highlighting the problems to pinpointing the solutions through our services. When it came to pricing and agreeing on a final amount I received pushback, hesitancy, and doubt. It’s funny how someone who seems so interested in your product can become less interested when numbers are discussed, right?
Once I got the rejection I asked the client if the price was fair, and he actually agreed it was! So why was I running into a roadblock on price? I needed to re-establish or drive home once again all the solutions my service provided. I’ve learned not to repeat verbatim, but readdress the solutions in a different context or vernacular. The client deemed their monies more valuable than my services, so I had to make sure they understand completely what the service can do for them and how much time and money it will save them.
Here is one very important lesson I learned that day: You must do your best to build rapport, trust, and perception that you’re an expert from the very beginning because this always helps when discussing numbers later on.
I was patient and willing to create a scenario where the client could discover new solutions to old problems on his own, and in the end, the invoice was paid within 48 hours!
Be persistent, engaging, and helpful to the customer. If you believe in your product and in yourself, then pricing won’t be a problem. However, if pricing ultimately deters a client from buying your product, then guess what? They aren’t your type of client anyway! Not yet, at least!”
Our digital world provides several ways to avoid carrying around unnecessary papers, brochures, and catalogs. We no longer have to be bogged down with a million things to carry to our next sales meeting. However, saving “briefcase space” has now become a digital problem. You can store content on the Cloud, save it on your device, sync, upload, download, and the list goes on. The flurry of options can leave you a bit fragmented:
- Not sure where you saved that email attachment?
- Can’t remember your passwords?
- Tired of excessive app switching?
Not only do we carry a digital briefcase, but it’s just as disorganized and cumbersome as its physical predecessors. For today’s salesperson, saving briefcase space both in the physical and digital realm is of utmost importance to moving the client relationship and sales process along. SpringDeck is a sales and marketing tool created by salespeople for salespeople. We get this problem and decided there had to be a way to cut down the clutter:
Find one centralized place to store all of the content (and actually be able to find it fast)
Having access to your sales collateral on one device doesn’t do it anymore. You need to get all of your product collateral in one place on that device and be able to locate files on the spot. Nothing looks worse than when you are app switching or looking for an email attachment in front of a client. The SpringDeck app organizes product content into libraries and categorizes them into one area, based on your sales areas. Then the app’s search function makes it easy to use keywords to find products and pull up all the options for the client to view!Make your sales presentation work for you
Forget handing out clumsy brochures or using linear PowerPoint presentations and charts. Find a way to make the presentation go fluidly using digital devices people are familiar with. For example, when our users present their products using the SpringDeck app on your iPad or computer, not only does the client perceive it as tech-savvy, but you can instantaneously flag the client’s favorite products and create custom presentation links to send right away! This saves you time and delivers content to clients when it’s fresh in their minds! Plus, avoid accidentally getting stuck with outdated files during a presentation. In SpringDeck, once a product library is updated with new content, the entire sales force automatically receives notifications with the fresh content ready to go!You need digital tools to track and follow up on sales actions
The sales process doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark; nor do you need to use post-it-notes to jot down client follow-up reminders. SpringDeck software tracks every interaction the client has with the product content you give them – after the presentation is over! You receive email notifications when they open product links and can see what products they interact with the most. This way you don’t waste their time (or yours) during a follow-up call.
For example, SpringDeck provides features that allow users to deploy their product cut sheets, images brochures, videos, etc. to the people who need to see it. The platform includes a marketplace where you can automatically download product libraries from top manufacturers, or create your own libraries to use in the sales field. Each library can represent specific areas or categories based on the flow of a sales presentation, allowing sales reps to stay organized and effective.
SpringDeck not only helps users deploy content but it tracks how it is being used, too! When showing the product content, you can quickly select the product files the client is interested in and send a custom URL via email. Then, we take it a step further and track when that email was opened and what products the client engaged with the most! This helps keep the sales conversation productive and gives dealers, sales reps, and product manufacturers insight into how people are reacting to their marketing materials!
Managing a business backed by sales teams working to get your product noticed can be one of the most exciting experiences, and one of the most frustrating. Companies that understand what exactly is going on with their sales teams at the ground level have a clear advantage over competition. Finding out what is working (and not working) in the sales process allows replication throughout the entire sales force. Identifying and eliminating time inefficiencies will certainly free up more selling time for all – which of course leads to higher revenue!
Overcome less face time with more expertise
Sales teams have a countless number of daily responsibilities that start from lead discovery and end with closing deals. Establishing rapport with a client is extremely integral to the sales process, but it’s no secret salespeople are getting less face time with clients today. Sales reps must capitalize on every moment by being experts in their products and services. The best way to do this is to be prepared with product information at any given moment. Spend time finding tools to help sales reps become knowledgeable and confident in their products.
Remember the “80/20 Rule”
The 80/20 Rule says 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of activities. The main objective here is to focus on qualified sales leads by spending more time on customers who are most likely to purchase and less time on non-revenue generating tasks. Sales reps who create additional, ineffective tasks for themselves throughout the day are in a sinking ship.
Switch to digital sales tools
Too often, salespeople spend vast hours assembling flyers, brochures, catalogs, or fumbling around cloud-based software with no ease of accessibility. Sharing information quickly with clients is essential to effective sales presentations. Find software that can be used on a tablet, while on the go.
Evaluate the unknowns
Avoid making business decisions on unknown information. This will by far be one of the best ways to cut out wasting valuable time resources in your business. Unknowns can range from not knowing what products reps are presenting to how clients are responding to the products after the pitch. Gathering and understanding information on every step of the pipeline is possible with the right technology, helping you move your business forward instead of relying on “guesstimates” of what you and salespeople should do next.
Know what you want to accomplish
This sounds given but don’t assume everyone on your team is clear on what you want to get out of the trade show. Is there a specific product you want to introduce? Do you want more leads? To build customer relationships? To meet with specific industry leaders? Take the time to make sure your entire team is clear on what you want to achieve, so everyone is going in the same direction during the actual event.
Ask questions and listen!
Every attendee is getting pitched on why they should buy “this” or do business like “that”. Start by asking attendees questions about their business. Be quiet and listen to their response instead of being distracted by what you are going to say next. The bottom line is: Ask questions, listen to what problems they are having, and then present a solution through your product.