From the Influencers

Ryan Stewman Reveals Simple Tips for Closing More Sales on Your Initial Call


March 01, 2018


Ryan is a five-time bestselling author, sales trainer, and entrepreneur.

Not only that, but he's also a regular contributor to Forces, Entrepreneur, and many other publications.

People throughout the industry call Ryan the "hardcore closer." Today, Ryan explains how to get everything you need to know out of your initial sales call and, of course, close more sales.

Do Your Prep Work Before Jumping onto the Call

Selling is a stressful and emotional job: you're constantly berated, rejected, and turned down. Morale can get pretty low.

No one likes hearing the word "no."

Ryan says you can avoid a lot of unnecessary rejection by taking the time to do substantial prep work before jumping onto the call.

Most companies recommend calling leads within five minutes – not Ryan. His team doesn't call potential clients for about four or five days.

Why does he wait so long? This gives Ryan time to conduct research about the client. By learning about the person's wants, interests, and needs, you can avoid hearing the word "no" and possibly even close the sale on your first call.


Get as Much Info as You Can

Ryan's companies try to get as much information as possible out of leads by utilizing different software and techniques.

When a lead comes in, their automated email system follows-up and tries to get them to divulge a little more information by filling out forms and surveys.

This could include a broad range of ten or so questions to figure out where they live, how long they've been in business, and what they need help accomplishing.

The goal is to get an overall sense of who they are and build familiarity.

Social Reconnaissance

Check out your lead's social media accounts. Most people leave their posts set to public because they want others to see the things they share.

The goal isn't necessarily to figure out what they need in terms of service, but rather to build a relationship with the person. You could even use tidbits of this information to build conversation topics.

Ryan says it's important for him to really get to know clients on a personal level. In his experience, people really appreciate the effort. Something as simple as remembering someone's name is all but removed from today's fast-paced world.

Slow down, and take the time to familiarize yourself with the person.

This can also help avoid bad leads and immediate rejection. Notice someone who only complains or makes excuses? It's probably best to avoid that lead. Why waste your time subjecting yourself to imminent rejection?

Ryan's Simple Secrets for the Initial Call

Within the first 30 seconds of the call, you'll want to establish a few things: get the client to understand that you have a solution to their problem, and get the client to admit they've already made a decision with you involved.

Sounds hard, right? It's a lot simpler than it seems.

Ryan starts out by asking the client where they live or conduct their business. He'll then explain that he has clients in that same area with successful results. He doesn't lie. If he doesn't have clients in the same city, Ryan names states or regions.

After that, ask them why they reached out to you. This gets the person to admit they've already made a decision that includes you.

Listen and Ask Questions

Ryan's strategy for closing sales is simple: get them to open their mouths and they just might open their wallet.

He says you don't really need to be a good sales person if you're a good listener. Good listeners aren't easy to find any more so people really value this effort.

Ryan suggests having six or seven open-ended questions prepared for each call to keep the conversation flowing.

Don't get pushy! If the lead isn't ready to commit, ask when you can follow-up with them for an answer. Your goal should be to continue contact. Don't jeopardize the relationship by pushing for an immediate answer.

Ryan Stewman: the Hardcore Closer

You can find Ryan at HarcoreCloser. Here, Ryan has written over 700 blogs as well as an additional 400 - 500 pages of content covering everything to do with sales marketing.

Ryan's bestselling book, Elevator to The Top, walks you through the sales funnel, upsells, and extra programs. You can score a free paperback copy here.



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