Nail The Sale

Calling from his base in Portland, listen in as Nancy interviews Tom Williams about the advantages of using Deal Point, how Tom identifies and solves issues in businesses, and how he works through his own sales process.

How can one letter help you improve your work cycle? Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss how the four D's (Do It, Delegate it, Delay it, and Delete it) can aid you in increasing productivity and sales.  

With the world constantly changing around us, how will you react? Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the four tendencies of reaction so that you can gain a clearer understanding of your thought process. 1) Upholder 2) Obligator  3) Questioner  4) Questioning Rebel

In a new era of COVID-19, listen in as Rick and Nancy go over 12 improvements that a business can make to find the new normal in sales. 1) Improvements to virtual meetings and written word 2) Better social media presence  3) Focus on less travel and more productivity 4) Improving the buying signs radar 5) Make it easier for the buyer to say yes

With their powers combined, listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the 15 features that make up a successful power couple. 1) They have a couple's vision 2) Everything needs to be out in the open 3) When conflict arises, you have to compromise 4) They help each other reach success 5) They work hard and play hard...  

As the world continues to struggle for a new norm, listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the state of sales in relation to social distancing by covering, 1)  Relations between you and your potential clients. 2) How social distancing causes a shift in resources. 3) Focus on positivity rather than a focus on negativity.

Calling in all the way from Barcelona, listen in as Rick interviews Billy Keels about his understanding of clients, building relationships and solutions, and how to find the formula for success in any deal. "Sales, as a profession, is the greatest way to understand what someone needs, build a relationship, and ultimately, be able to solve their problem with a solution." -Billy Keels 

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss five tips for learning life's lessons. 1) Don't beat yourself up. 2) Observe your thoughts and emotions. 3) Shift the focus back to you. 4) Accept what you cannot change. 5) Celebrate your growth. "When we can no longer change the situation - we are challenged to change ourselves"  -Viktor Frankl

Listen in as Rick interviews Rob Thomas from RobThomasUSA.com an author, speaker, and business trainer.  Rob walks us through how he ended up working at Disney, a funny story about perseverance and the need for something on his resume.  Then Rob digs into the 4 steps to understanding who you need to meet with to grow your business of any kind.   1) Identify 2) Maximize 3) Refine 4) Nurture Don't miss the end where he explains why he always meets clients out at a restaurant instead of the office to earn their business.  

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the 6 things NOT to do to be an annoying salesperson. 1)  Wasting time on empty niceties 2)  Telling any kind of fib 3)  Making assumptions 4)  Failing to follow-up 5)  Playing cat and mouse 6)  Creating false urgency Don't miss the end of the show where Rick gives you the tips you need to be endearing!  

What are the 7 key questions that you need to know about your customers' business?  Listen in as Nancy and Rick discuss: 1)  How They Go To Market? 2)  How Are Decisions Made? 3)  How Quickly Do They Move On New Ideas? 4)  What is Their Culture? 5)  What Are Their Growth Plans? 6)  What is THEIR Biggest Sales Challenge 7)  What is their #1 Problem?

Traditional marketing teaches the four P's:  Product, Price, Promotion, and Place.  In today's podcast, Rick and Nancy discuss Place or Placement and how to get full scalability.   Make sure you are asking yourself these questions:   1)  Where are your target customers shopping? 2)  Are they shopping online and on what device? 3) Are they engaging on social media asking questions? If you aren't content with single-digit sales growth then it's time to add another sales channel or change channels altogether.

Staying true to your faith and listening to that direction takes you on the path to amazing success.  But in this crazy time of COVID-19 don't forget where you came from and what got you here. Listen in as Nancy interviews CEO and owner Lennise Germany of Livy O's Catering.  Lennise shares how to stay focused by refocusing daily on the needs of those you serve.  When every event you had canceled, how do you stay afloat?!  Create a strategy around your strengths and fill the needs of your community.  These are the kind of times that create an entirely new vertical for you and your business.  Don't focus on what you don't have or what you can't do!  Focus on what you do have and what you CAN do!  

Anyone and everyone can write a book and you can do it in 30 days!  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the normal fears associated with why we don't think we can write a book but most importantly they explain how to get past those fears and why it is so vital.  A book becomes an inexpensive marketing tool.  It is much cheaper than a glossy tri-fold that you'll pass out and people throw away.  They won't throw away a book.  Rick and Nancy give you five reasons: 1)  You'll be recognized as an authority 2)  It raises you above your competition 3)  Separates you in the market 4)  It builds your personal brand 5)  It will help get you speaking engagements

Listen in as Nancy interviews Scott Ingram, the host of 2 podcasts, the author of 2 books as well as the creator of the event Sales Success Summit.  Scott provides great tips on how habits can replace goals and goal setting and the importance of having a "cadence" with your clients.  He explains how the cadence creates an anticipation of the clients' needs so that you are always serving and caring about their results vs. your own.  Don't miss when Scott passionately explains the fundamental foundation of every sale, that if you don't have this the sale will be impossible to close.  But the best part of the show?  When Scott details how to plan for the unexpected obstacles in every presentation.

What does a perfect pitch (not talking about singing) sound like?  Do you have a perfect pitch format?  You have to have a winning formula even if it is an outline that you follow every single time.  If you don't have one, you may want to use the S.W.O.T. process.   No matter what, you should be presenting your value and constantly be looking for ways to highlight what it is costing them not to fix the problems you've uncovered.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss how to present YOUR perfect pitch.

Connecting is more than just having a conversation.  Anyone can carry on a conversation for an hour with someone they don't like about stuff that doesn't matter and walk away and not care about that person.  That doesn't work if you truly want to exponentially grow your business.  Connecting is different than networking.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy give you the steps you need to take in order to truly connect and take your business to the next level.  

There is a plethora of scientific research about the power of a smile.  Everyone has one, but not everyone uses it.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the power of your smile and how smiling can increase your income.

What do you do when someone wants references?  92% of people actually want to be able to read references online.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss 6 ways for you to provide references.   1)  Written testimonies 2)  Video testimonies 3)  Ask for Yelp recommendations 4)  Ask for LinkedIn recommendations 5)  Ask a customer to post a recommendation on their social media pages 6)  Ask if potential customers can call 

True freedom is when you believe that you, and you alone are responsible for where you are today.  Have some of us been dealt a bad hand?  Yes!  Can you change that tomorrow?  YES!!!  You can't change the past, but you can change the future.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the mindset it takes to be successful in your life as an entrepreneur.  Have you heard the saying "you only live once"?  Well, that isn't true.  You live every day, you only die once.  

There are 4 ways to increase revenue in any business, 5 if you include reducing overhead.  Raise prices, Upsell current customers, Increase the frequency of use, reactivate past lost customers.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss in depth the power of the upsell and how you know when it's time to make that call to a valuable customer.  Don't miss at the end when Rick helps you analyze your opportunities.  

If you're feeling called to do something bigger than yourself listen in as Nancy interviews Shannon Carlton author of Manifest Your Vision with Grace, Gratitude, and Growth and entrepreneur.  Shannon also shares why market research is so important BEFORE you launch your business and how to get the feedback you need to have a closing ratio near 100%.  She passionately digs into how you can use vision boards and habits with a weekly agenda to hold yourself accountable to get where it is you want to go.  Don't miss towards the end of the show where Shannon adds, "There are times you're not going to feel like it, and you have to make shifts and pivots."

In this two part series Rick and Nancy dig into the Upsell.  In this podcast, share with you the 8 steps you need to do inorder to set yourself up for upselling a current customer. 1)  Handwritten note the day after the first sale 2)  Day 7 - phone call to check in 3)  Day 14 - email them valuable information about their industry 4)  Day 21 - send them a referral or potential customer 5)  Day 31 - Schedule a breakfast, lunch or dinner 6)  Day 38 - Schedule an appointment and ask them for a testimony 7)  Day 45 - Another thank you note for the appointment 8)  Day - 52 - Present your upsell

In order for you to take your business and your income to the next level, it is critical to stop being judgmental.  People can sense your expectations.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy give you 3 simple steps to becoming a non-judgmental professional

Closing a whale client can drastically change your business overnight.  Are you hunting them?  Do you have a goal set to catch one or two this year?  Or do you fear hunting the whale?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy provide you a 5 step process of catching whales in your industry.  

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the dos and don'ts of using sarcasm.  The occasional sarcastic remark might seem harmless, but is it?  The person using sarcasm thinks they are being funny, but the person who the sarcasm is directed at doesn't at all.  People judge you every day by what you say and how you act.  Know how sarcasm makes someone else feel before you use it with a customer or prospect.  

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss 9 elements of a successful negotiator so you can hear two of the most important words in negotiations "THAT'S RIGHT!".  

Listen in as Rick interviews Anthony Ippolito a true Bootstrapper who has multiple companies under one umbrella.  Anthony shares what it takes to get the Research and Development done to get your widget off the ground as well as a 4 point marketing plan to follow.  Don't miss the end of the show where Anthony talks about the importance of walking slowly before you run.

How do you know when you need a RE-SET?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the symptoms that show you that you may need to do a Re-set.  In today's show, they discuss 8 symptoms that give you the hint that you need to re-set what it is that you do, or the direction you're going. 1)  Frozen on prospecting 2)  Don't feel connected to your goals 3)  Everything feels routine 4)  Your day ends earlier and earlier 5)  No passion 6)  Everything seems like a struggle and a grind 7)  People are constantly asking you, "are you ok?" 8)  You can't see your dreams becoming a reality

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss 10 tips to ensuring you are getting the absolute MOST from a sales training session. 1)  Be 100% Present 2)  Take Notes 3)  Ask Questions 4)  Role-Play With The Trainer 5)  Apply A Nugget You Learned Right Away 6)  Ask Others To Be Quiet 7)  Add Value 8)  Participate In Breakouts 9)  Ask For Examples To Better Understand 10)  Ask Others For Input  

Listen in as Nancy interviews Eleanor Saunders from ECHO, a life long entrepreneur who calls herself a "Social Entrepreneur".  Eleanor shares timeless wisdom about a 4 step process for strategic planning and project management.  "There is nothing inspiring about the status quo.  People want to be pushed, to think bigger and have a vision"  Eleanor insists.  Don't miss the end of the show when Eleanor shares with us the importance of mentorship and how to surround yourself with the right kind of people to make sure you WIN!  "WHY NOT YOU?!"

Listen in as Rick and Nancy share recent examples of mistakes peers have made and continue to make. •  Sarcasm •  "I" statements •  Talk about Fantasy Football •  Overtalking •  Look at your phone during an appointment •  Be a Know It All •  Answering a question when you have no idea what the answer is •  Talk BIG and NEVER deliver •  Get out your laptop and work on your email

Today, Rick talks with Greg from ShareSpaceAds.com, also one of our clients about how he and his brother grew a business from scratch to sustainability in just 12 months.  Greg shares the importance of sales training via books and audios as well as fine-tuning his sales process.  "If you are thinking about starting a business it's all about mindset", Greg says.  Don't miss the big nugget at the end of the show when Greg talks about the importance of belief.  

We have all heard the phrase "you have to visualize your dreams", but how do you conquer and actually achieve them and use them to move your business forward?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy give you 6 steps of how to put this into practice.

Oscar Wilde said, "Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life".  So what is business balance and how do you get it?  You do what you have to do to move your business forward or to get a deal done, but it also isn't about neglecting your family.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy share trying to take a day off and what to do when business gets in the way.

Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the 10 things mentally strong people do: 1)  Do not feel sorry for themselves 2)  Do not listen to critics 3)  Do not give away their power 4)  Do not resent others success 5)  Do have a high level of discipline 6)  Do major on the majors 7)  Do understand failure is a must 8)  Do embrace change 9)  Do have a HIGH EQ 10)  Do attract other eagles email us your ideas or questions:  Nancy@NailTheSales.com

Your number one concern should be "How Can I help you grow your business?"  Be their consultant!  Take the time to fully understand their business and how they are trying to grow.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss how to uncover your potential customer's blindspots.

Do you have a chink in your armor and you don't know it?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss why it usually doesn't help for someone to point it out but why it's better to self-discover the issue.  This is a lifelong process that doesn't stop with one thing that is fixed but rather is more like stepping stones - you should be on to the next issue.  Analyzing your wins and losses will bring you the best perspective so you can have massive growth in the coming year.

Have you ever thought about doing some type of free trial or sampling program to drive sales?  Giving your product or service away for free allows your target market to try your product without any risk and actually increase trust with you and your brand.  It is a proven method for increasing sales.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss their experiences with free trials and samplings as sales professionals, entrepreneurs, and customers.  

aka - Mr. Rogers Selling (see Mr. Rogers TV show 1968 - 1970).   Bad manners are just bad business.  Being polite is not old school it's good school.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the 7 things you MUST or MUST NOT do! 1)  Be kind and polite 2)  Be transparent and honest 3)  Say please and thank you 4)  Don't lose your cool 5)  Don't over talk  6)  Don't bad mouth your competition 7)  Consider every potential client is your grandmother

It's not about what you do, but what do you do that's different or simply put, as Rick says, WHY YOU?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss what USP's are, as they help you discover what your USP is!

After getting so much feedback on Episode 127, we were asked for the things we have to do to move from the bottom of the pack to the top.  Here it is! 1)  You have goals set 2)  You are doing money-making activities daily 3)  You have an eye on your entire pipeline and are doing what it takes to keep it even 4)  You respond to inbound leads within a few minutes 5)  You own your results 6)  You have systems in place 7)  You talk less and act more 8)  You have great time management skills 9)  You have a closing conversation daily 10)  You know your competition

How many stages do you have in your sales pipeline and how long should a lead stay in each stage?  Is your pipeline stale or is it fresh?  Think of your sales pipeline as a funnel, if it gets clogged at any one stage, and you're trying to pour gasoline into the top, it's going to start spilling out and you're going to crash and burn.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss the importance of moving leads through each stage and how to decide to toss a lead out or keep in flowing through that pipeline.  

Top producers have the choice of any job, anywhere at any time.  That's quite the difference from those who are the bottom 20% of sales professionals or entrepreneurs.  The bottom dwellers are constantly changing companies or changing their product offerings.  In 2016 Objective Management Group did a study of 1,100,000 sales professionals from 11,000 different companies and they published the data across 21 criteria.  Today, Rick and Nancy discuss the top 5 differences from those at the top, versus those at the bottom.  

We are in sales or in business for ourselves to make money and to have a lifestyle that we wanted to create unlike the majority of folks who have typical 9 to 5 jobs.  Are you ever really told what numbers you need to hit?  Or are you truly focused on creating a lifestyle that the majority of people will never ever experience?   Listen in as Rick and Nancy dig into the differences and the details.  

All sales people have been played at some point in their career.  What does being played mean?  It means you're being used to get a better deal OR maybe they are never going to buy what you're selling but they lead you on that they will eventually.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy give you tips to know when you're being played and what to do to make sure that you don't.  

What does it mean to be relentless?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss GOOD, GREAT AND UNSTOPPABLE and the common attributes associated with each.  Is this the year that you're willing to be driven, never satisfied with good or great and always willing to grow?  Let Rick and Nancy guide you to the next level with this episode of Nail The Sale.

This episode is about the power of the ask!  The power of the questions.  If people approach you about your product or service as in a retail environment or a referral.   1)  Happy Greeting including a smile 2)  Small Talk - use the weather, everyone can talk about the weather 3)  Find Something in Common 4)  Start With Either OR Questions 5)  Use Open-Ended Questions - How, What or Help me understand?

SPIN stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, and Needs Payoff.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy discuss each of these stages and why certain techniques work for smaller sales but fail miserably in larger sales.  This episode truly digs into the questions needed at each of these stages and why you need to ask them.  

Getting past the receptionist is a skill that every sales professional and entrepreneur must have.  Listen in as Rick and Nancy provide you 10 ways to get past the receptionist to get to the person that you really need to talk to.  

If you provide a service as an entrepreneur or sales professional, how do you sell your service?  How do you get past just selling the minimums?  How do you get paid what your service is truly worth?  Listen in as Rick and Nancy address these questions and many more in this episode dedicated to service providers.