Over the last few months, we’ve had some fantastic guests on our monthly webinars.
Back in April, we were joined by Rory Sutherland and you’ll benefit from Ross Simmonds’ marketing expertise in July.
Last month, Andy Bounds spent an hour with us sharing his top tips on sales, marketing, and communication. So, this week, read on for 10 of Andy’s best hints and tips that’ll help you turn more prospects into clients.
Make sure to scroll to the end of this blog where you can find a link to a replay of Andy’s webinar along with details of a podcast episode that will also improve your sales technique.
1. Agree on the proposal content
Before you send a proposal, make sure you’ve verbally agreed with the client what it should include.
Andy says: “If someone says they want a proposal, I say, ‘Right, OK, can I ask you some questions? What are the main things you want to know?’ This ensures that the proposal is tailored exactly to what the client is looking for.”
Andy also recommends not overwhelming clients with lengthy proposals: “The proposal should be a short, written confirmation of what we’ve already agreed. Include only the main points: outcomes, deliverables, timings, and price.”
2. Clearly state the prospect’s desired outcome in the proposal
Ensure that the proposal or confirmation highlights the recipient’s desired outcomes.
Andy advises: “The proposal should state, ‘We’ve agreed you want these outcomes, and here’s how I will help you achieve them.’ This aligns your service with their priorities.”
3. Pre-arrange the follow-up call
To avoid a prospect ghosting you after sending a proposal, pre-arrange a follow-up call before ending your initial meeting.
Andy advises: “Say the next two steps are: number one, I will put in writing what we’ve just agreed. Number two, we’ll need to have a quick chat about it to make sure we’re both happy. If I get it to you today, what time are you free tomorrow for a quick five-minute chat?”
Even if your prospects need more than 24 hours to make a decision, the advice to pre-arrange the follow-up call is sound, and echoed by other sales experts such as Alex Hormozi.
4. “Invaluable and incomplete” first meetings
Make your first meeting invaluable but incomplete to ensure a second meeting. “The first meeting has to be invaluable. They have to think it was a good use of their time. Usually, the best way to make it invaluable is to teach them something.”
Andy extends the concept to people who aren’t yet clients or prospects by ensuring he offers valuable insights and tips without expecting an immediate return.
He explains: “By providing free value, such as a helpful newsletter or a tip-filled email, you build trust and establish yourself as an expert in your field. This approach can lead to long-term client relationships.”
When it comes to the first meeting, Andy also suggests: “Make it incomplete by having a sense that more needs to be discussed in the next meeting.”
5. Leverage social proof
Use testimonials and case studies to build credibility.
Andy points out: “Share success stories from other clients to demonstrate the value of your services. Social proof can be a powerful tool in convincing potential clients of your expertise.”
6. Avoid early price discussions
When a client asks for the price early on, deflect until you understand their needs.
Andy’s approach is: “If someone asks about the price, I say, ‘I don’t know yet. It depends on what you want. Let me ask you some questions first.'”
7. Create scripts for objections and make sure you practise
Prepare scripts for common objections and practise them.
Andy notes: “You need to have your answers ready. Practise with someone when it doesn’t matter so you don’t mess up when it does matter.”
8. Don’t undervalue your service
Stand firm on your pricing and don’t undervalue your service.
Andy states: “If you give a discount, it isn’t fair to other customers who pay the full price. If they want to pay less, we can reduce the scope in some way.”
9. Look for love and power in your network
To build your business look for people in your network who:
- Love you, and
- Have the power to help you.
As Andy says: “Go through your contacts and see who loves you and has the power to help you. Then ask them for advice and potential leads.”
Andy explains more: “My mum loves me a lot, but she doesn’t have much power to give me any business. Richard Branson doesn’t even know me, but he could probably give me £1 million if he wanted to.
“And so, if you go through your list of your top 100 contacts, you’ll find some people who love you and also probably have the power to help you.”
10. Handle rejections gracefully
If a prospect isn’t a good fit, hand them off gracefully.
Andy suggests: “Say, ‘I’ve enjoyed meeting you, but I don’t think we’re the right partners for each other. However, I know a couple of people who might be a better fit. Can I introduce you to them?'”
Hear more from Andy
If you’d like to watch the whole webinar (and we recommend you do), click here for the recording. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Then, sign up for Andy’s fantastic Tuesday Tips email by emailing andy@andybounds.com with the subject line “tips”. As Andy explains in the webinar, you don’t even need to say please!
If you’re keen to learn more ways to improve your sales technique (and yes, everyone is selling something, even financial advisers, planners and mortgage brokers) can we recommend one of Alex Hormozi’s latest podcasts?
‘9 things top salespeople do differently’ is an hour or so packed with nuggets of information that’ll improve your conversion rate, make you more efficient, and help you spend less money on marketing.
Finally, you can only make sales, if your marketing creates new enquiries, which is where we come in. If you’d like to learn more about how we can give your marketing a boost email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call us on 0115 8965 300.
