Studies in Selling

STUDIES IN SELLING: ONE ON ONE WITH WELDON LONG

By: Adam Mendler, Lessons in Leadership

I spoke to sales guru and New York Times bestselling author Weldon Long about his best advice.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your best sales advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here?

Weldon: That’s a great question and goes to the heart of my story. From 1987 – 2003, I spent 13 years behind bars. I was a high school drop who lived a life of poverty, desperation and incarceration. In 2006, while I was in prison, my father died and I made a decision to change the course of my life. I spent the last 7 years in prison learning how to create a mindset for success and prosperity. I studied business and sales. I changed my core value system.

In 2003, I walked out of prison to a halfway house without a dime to my name. Nevertheless, I had the mindset and skills to succeed. In 2004, I started a company and grew it to $20,000,000 in sales in just 60 months. In fact, in 2009, my company was selected by Inc. Magazine as one of America’s fastest growing small companies. Since then I have written three books on the Prosperity Mindset and my Consistency Selling process and have trainied thousands of sales professionals on the mindset and sales principles that changed my life.

Adam: What is the single biggest sales mistake you have ever made and what did you learn from it?

Weldon: Believing a prospect was actually going to call me back. There is no Santa Claus. There is no tooth fairy. And prospects rarely (if ever) call back. I learned that sales success requires that we do everything in our power to get our prospects to give us a “Yes” or a “No” while we are with them – even if the answer is “No”. A “Yes” is best, but “No” is a perfectly acceptable answer. In sales “No” won’t kill you. It’s the “I don’t know, call me backs” that will undermine sales success.

Adam: In your experience, what are the key pitfalls to succeeding in sales and how can you overcome them?

whatever we sell everyday. Customers only buy it occasionally. We should know what the prospect is going to object to before they do. Moreover, we should know EXACTLY how to handle it. Far too many sales professionals trip up on objections, despite hearing them virtually everyday of their professional lives.

Adam: What are your three best tips when it comes to selling?

Weldon:

1) Build high trust through demonstrating high character and high competence in a systematic fashion.

2) Expect a successful outcome by developing a Prosperity Mindset that is designed to thrive in the face of adversity and obstacles. The Prosperity Mindset is the key to the kingdom.

3) Rely on a sales SYSTEM rather than “winging it” on a sales call. Consistent sales results come from consistent sales activities. Random sale results come from random sales activities. It’s not rocket science.

Adam: Describe your sales methodology. Have you found that different types of prospects are responsive to different to types of styles, and if so, do you adapt your style to the type customer you are selling to?

Weldon: I keep things super simple because I believe the confused mind says “No”. Show me a complicated sales process and I’ll show you a sales person who isn’t using it. Every sales process can be broken down into what I call the RISC process.

1) Build a RELATIONSHIP.

2) IDENTIFY the prospect’s problems

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4)Bring the sales presentation to a reasonable and logical CONCLUSION

We can’t close every sales opportunity, but we can bring every sales opportunity to a reasonable and logical conclusion. One of the most important things that leads to sales success is not leaving ourselves with an overwhelming number of loose ends. Extend yourself 100% emotionally and professional to your prospect and take your best shot. When you’re done, move on to the next opportunity. Don’t get caught chasing down phantom deals and make believe sales commissions.

Yes, there are different strokes for different folks. Part of being a successful sales professional is having the skill to read people and respond accordingly. There are lots of formal methods to read and react to your prospect (i.e. a DISC analysis or using NLP to “mirror” your prospect). When I am selling I try to use a variety of communication tools to connect to prospects whether they learn through listening, touching, pictures or stories. Sooner or later I’ll find a way to connect with them.

Adam: What sets your approach apart from others in your industry? Describe your industry and your best tips specific to selling within it.

Weldon: Most sales programs give students one part of a three part puzzle. What I mean is that they give the sales person the sales process but they fail to deliver two other vital components to success: The Prosperity Mindset and Consistency. Without those two bookends the sales process is another tool that won’t get used. Transformational sales success comes from Getting your Mind Right, Getting your Sales Process Right, and Getting your Consistency Right. Without all three you are taking on Rocky with one hand tied behind your back. Good luck with that.

I train in virtually every industry, including transportation, logistics, insurance, financial services, automobile, banking, home services, etc. The same three components are necessary to succeed in all of them.

Adam: What do you believe is the hardest step in the sales process and how can it best be navigated?

Weldon: The single hardest step for most sales professionals is directly and specifically asking the prospect for the order. To succeed we must overcome the fear and anxiety of asking. That is a Mindset issue. Everybody knows the words. Only the most successful sales professionals actually use them.

Adam: What are your best tips for improving your close rate?

Weldon: Ask for the damn order! The answer is always NO until we ask. I have a signature close I use and teach that helps sales people have more closing success. Once you understand all the prospect’s problems, make a specific recommendation to solve the problem and then use the four most powerful works in sales, “Will you trust me?”

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Jacey wins shotgun