Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Techniques

5 tips to help you sell against your competitors

B2B sales is highly competitive. In all the sales I’ve experienced, the competition has been involved in the process at some point. This could be at the very beginning, half way through or the end.  Whether you like it or not, there is always a competitor or an alternative option just lurking around the corner.  So how do you know when to sell over your competitors? Which ones are in involved? When is the ideal time to discuss them?  How do you weave them into the conversation? What do you say about them?

These are skills I developed over the years and used to my advantage to get the very best results. Here are some tips that I hope help you.

Never talk trash about your competitors

The best ways to act, whether you are selling to SMB or Enterprise, is to act humble. Have humility, show that you really care and have empathy with your sales prospect. If you talk trash about your competitors at any point in the sales process you are showing none of these qualities. You also risk losing the credibility you have already earned. It is always best to show respect to everyone in your marketplace.

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Sales Coaching, Sales Techniques, Sales Training

How to sell over your competitors

There are many important attributes to being a top sales professional that come naturally. As Daniel Pink explains in his book, “To Sell is Human”, the modern salesperson needs Attunement, Buoyancy, and Clarity to be successful. There are other sales skills you learn over time, and in your business, like understanding and selling your product, how to frame your sales call and how to sell the success stories of your clients. One of the biggest things that is frequently missed is to how to correctly sell against your competition. Here are some ways to help with this.

Never bad mouth your competition 

Start with this very simple rule..It may seem obvious. But you’d be surprised how many time people do this. You can always tell by the questions the buyer asks , especially if you are not the first to present. Always make sure you approach talking about your competition in a professional manor. Make sure you carefully select the language you use to explain how you are better so you aren’t damning in any way.

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Sales Techniques, Sales Training

A sales guide to dealing with your competition

If you’re obsessed about hitting your sales number,  when the name of one of your competitors gets mentioned by a sales prospect it’s natural to feel a little defensive inside.  Your prospects will be curious about exploring a few providers and you will want to deal with questions about your competition with a calm, cool head. Here’s my advice.

When they ask a question about the competition, be direct in your response

If someone asks you what other providers are in your market, or what providers you get compared to, don’t try to sidestep it. Don’t say there isn’t any whilst pulling a puzzled face, no-ones believes you, and don’t try to point them in the direction of another space in your market, no-one compares buying a Ford with a Porsche. Get straight to the point and be honest.

Compliment your competitors

If you’re nasty about your competitors, you’re not making them look bad, only yourself. If you’ve got competition, then people must be buying from them, which means they have value. What is that value? Why would someone buy from them and not you? When you get asked about why another provider is different lead the answer with a compliment. “AB Media is a really attractive solution if you’re under 25 employees because its pricing model benefits smaller business”.  “T&T Solutions are a good choice for people who are looking for a simple product that doesn’t require any internal resource to make it effective” It’s an incredible way to build trust with your prospect.

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