Secrets of Selling, The

Geoff King started at the bottom of the sales ladder—selling pest control products on the streets of South London. After this inauspicious start, he climbed steadily through the ranks of professional service organisations until he reached the top of the ladder. By the end of his in-house career, he was routinely selling multi-million pound deals in outsourcing services for multinationals. He now works as a freelance consultant on sales methods and strategies.

• Table of Contents:  Introduction: The Secrets of Selling  Section 1: Sales meetings and sales proposals1. What to say in sales meetingsPreparing for sales meetingsThe structure of a typical sales meeting  Dealing with objections  Closing2. How to assess the character of your prospect quickly and accuratelyHow to make these judgementsThe most common reasons why people misjudge the characters of others3. Using emotion in sellingHonesty Charm Using emotion correctly The emotions behind buying decisions4. Body language in sales meetingsThe importance of body language in selling Persuasive and non-persuasive body language What to look for in others5. How to write proposalsThe best way to write a proposalThe management summaryThe introduction Your understanding of their requirements Your company’s suitability for the work The proposed way forward The costs Possible next steps6. Writing words that sellThe rules for writing good English How to write case studies How to write one page summariesSection 2: How to find new businessChoosing your targets The theory behind finding new businessMaximising the efficiency of your lead-searching The four main ways to find new business7. Finding new business through mailshotsHow to get good listsThe message in your mailshot Knowing how many to send E-mailshotting Measuring the success of mailshots The mailshot idea that usually fails Running newsletters8. Finding new business through seminarsAttending other people’s seminars Speed networking events Running your own seminars Alternatives to full blown seminars Following up after seminars9. How to use the telephone to make appointmentsThe secret to successfully selling on the phone The four possible responses to your call The words you should use Getting past gatekeepers Common issues when phoning10. Finding new business through partnersThe three types of partner How to make your partnerships effective How to choose the right partners for you How to spot the partners you should avoid Keeping your partnerships healthySection 3: Becoming a complete salesperson11. How to brand and advertise your company effectivelyHow to create a brand Colours and branding Advertising How to choose a tagline How to place your adverts Dealing with advertising agencies12. Presentations, away days and exhibitionsThe best way to presentThings to remember when you are preparing to present Things to remember when you are presenting How the size of the audience affects your presentationClient away days Manning an exhibition stand Following it all up13.  Getting the most from the mediaGetting articles into the press Finding journalists and publications that specialise in your area Press releases Other ways of contacting the press Doing media interviews Dealing with adverse publicity PR agenciesProfessional associations14. Tips on beating the competitionWhat buyers are looking for Avoiding the biggest waste of a salesperson’s time Four general rules for competitive situations Dealing with specific types of competition  Timing your visits when you are part of a formal bid process The waiting room15. Tips