| I often get asked about lunch. No, not if I want to | | | | salespeople to add credibility to the sales process. |
| go out to lunch. Instead, should salespeople take | | | | Get your salespeople to develop their "Top 10" list |
| clients out to lunch? How can it be productive? | | | | of premiere accounts and set up meetings with |
| Are my salespeople wasting time and money? | | | | each one in the next 30 days (if possible) and |
| What should I coach my salespeople to do? Is this | | | | have each of them ask for a testimonial. After |
| or can this be an effective sales activity? | | | | acquiring them, make electronic copies and share |
| First of all, too many salespeople spend too much | | | | them across your sales team. Make a contest out |
| money on taking clients out to lunch with no | | | | of it who can get the most legitimate testimonials |
| purpose or return on investment of time and | | | | in this month or quarter. |
| expense. If your salespeople engage in "client | | | | Reference - Ask the customer if they would be |
| lunches", be sure you strategize with them first, | | | | willing to be contacted by a prospect to validate |
| before they run up an outlandish expense account | | | | your salesperson's service offerings or simply |
| and get nothing from it. | | | | communicate their experience working with your |
| Truly, I'm a big advocate for lunch, golf games, | | | | company. Come prepared - you'll need to have |
| customer outings, etc. However, I'm not for doing | | | | something available if and when your prospect |
| those things for the pure enjoyment for your | | | | asks. However, don't hassle your existing clients |
| salespeople. Your salespeople need a goal and the | | | | with unnecessary calls or too many calls. Offer |
| means to achieve that goal for each and every | | | | references only if the prospects is tightly qualified. |
| lunch. Coach your salespeople to have a plan for a | | | | Be sure to contact the reference to let them |
| customer lunch or outing and work it. To get you | | | | know that the prospect will be calling. |
| started, here are four things that your | | | | Referral - This is one of the most overlooked |
| salespeople can do during a lunch meeting, golf | | | | prospecting methods. Your best list is your own |
| game or customer outing: | | | | list. Ask your "satisfied" customers for the names |
| Account update - Have your salespeople ask the | | | | of people they know who could use your |
| customer what's going on inside their organization. | | | | products or services. Senior executives know |
| What activities or ventures are coming up that | | | | other senior executives. Middle managers know |
| your organization could be involved in to add value | | | | other middle managers. Use good customers as a |
| and/or more products or services? | | | | referral source and leverage those relationships. |
| For example, a pending change in management | | | | Offer to send the referral a free sample, free |
| means your salesperson needs to ensure that | | | | consultation or information that would be of value |
| they get a proper introduction and the | | | | to them. Ask if you can use your customer's |
| opportunity for the new executive to get to | | | | name. Gather as much information about the |
| know your organization. Also, your customer may | | | | referral as you can because you'll still need to |
| be expanding product lines, building new offices, | | | | qualify them. Sometimes a customer will give you |
| opening new plants, merging with other companies | | | | a name because they want to help, but the |
| or purchasing subsidiaries. Bottom line: be sure | | | | referral is not qualified. |
| your salespeople continually seek out new sales | | | | Taking clients out to lunch can be a very |
| opportunities with existing customers. | | | | productive form of new business development. |
| Testimonial - Prospects love testimonials to help in | | | | As a Sales Manager, coach your salespeople on |
| their decision making process. Whether in a letter | | | | effective strategies to accomplish specific sales |
| or simply a quote for your website or collateral | | | | objectives. These four points should get you |
| materials, this is a powerful way for your | | | | started. |