By Toni Epstein, Home Office
When someone says to you, "Don’t worry – I have a system," you may roll your eyes and get ready for disaster. After all, systems are for betting on horses or getting around rules, right? Wrong – a system is an orderly arrangement of elements that can lead to success. And the Sandler Selling System is a proven approach to selling that provides a step-by-step process to guide a salesperson from prospecting to qualifying to closing and through the post-sell.
It’s not enough to say you’re following a system when you sell. The right system is important, and your current system may have some beneficial elements, but you just can’t seem to reach the level to which you aspire. And you may not follow the same processes every time, on every call, so your "system" becomes a reactive experience that is controlled by your prospect.
Taking a systematic approach means taking control. An efficient and effective system enables you to consistently achieve a desired outcome without wasting resources. The Sandler Selling System allows you to duplicate successful behaviors and eliminate unsuccessful ones. You can move away from relying on "people skills," and rely instead on a systematic approach to the sales cycle.
Taking control of the sales interaction doesn’t imply an unpleasant struggle that may antagonize a prospect. By the salesperson rather than the prospect having control, both parties will have their needs met. A prospect can waste a lot of time by meeting with a salesperson who simply can’t meet his or her needs, and may feel uncomfortable being put in the position of using a salesperson for information and then having to say no. Think about the last time you avoided a phone call. Sure, the caller felt rejected, but each time the call came, and each time you used whatever tactic you chose to avoid taking the call, you probably experienced negative feelings as well.
When you, as a salesperson, are in control, you won’t waste time with someone who simply isn’t a real prospect. Follow your system to either qualify a prospect, or decide that the relationship isn’t a fit, and walk away from it.
Using the Sandler Selling System, and using it every time you begin the sales process, leaves nothing to chance. You’re in control, and you’ll be able to predict the outcome.
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