If you could handle the most common 7-12 objections in your industry effectively and without stress, think about the difference this could make in your mindset and your results. It's huge!

To help get you started, here is a list of several objections that are common to most industries:

1. I need to think about it
2. I do not have any money
3. Your price is too high
4. I need to talk it over with someone
5. I do not have the time
6. I am already working with someone
7. I am not interested
8. I already tried it and it didn't work

For your specific industry, there are probably some other objections in addition to those in this list. Knowing the most common 7-12 objections will allow you to develop powerful, well-prepared responses to move your prospect to action.

Action Step

Do you want to close more sales and make more money? Then start by making a list of the common objections in your niche or industry using my list as a template.

In future posts I'll cover specific strategies you can use to handle common objections. Click the "Like" button below to be notified via Facebook when I post new content here.

Warmly,

Eric

PS - The November Product of the Month contains killer content. The main component is a brand new product that is the most complete and detailed standalone sales training series I have ever created. It is based on everything I have learned in over 18 years in sales. There is also a very rare interview with a sales legend. Copies are limited. Check it out before it sells out.

It is not necessary to use high pressure when asking but you must ask.

Here are some simple ways to ask for the order:
1. How do you feel about moving forward?
2. What do you say we give it a try?
3. I am open on Tuesday at 3:00 or Wednesday at 3:00 what would work best for you?

After you ask for the order be silent. Selling has its own language. Part of the language of influence is silence. Silence is a simple technique yet very powerful. Consider the following scenario. Most of us have seen the girl scouts selling cookies in front of the grocery story. Usually what happens is they ask us if we would like to buy some girls scout cookies. After they ask have you ever noticed they are silent? The reason they are silent is because that is part of the sales presentation.

Part of the Language of Influence is Silence!

Does this technique work? The girl scouts have sold millions of boxes of cookies through the years. Now imagine this scenario. Instead of being asked if you would like to buy some Girl Scout cookies, she gave you a business card. She then explained to you that if you go to the web site you can purchase as many boxes as you would like. If she handed you a business card would you go to the web site and buy some cookies? The answer is no.

Unfortunately most people give out their business card and tell the prospect to call them when they are ready. Don’t fall victim to this pitfall. Ask for the order!

Success,

Eric Lofholm

You've probably heard the phrase, "sales is a numbers game." That's only true if you have an effective presentation. Otherwise, no matter how many appointments you run, you're not going to achieve your sales goals.

What is an appointment? An appointment is a meeting with one or more people for the purpose of delivering your sales presentation.

Here are some different types of appointments:
*One-on-one meeting in person
*One-on-one meeting by phone
*Conference call with multiple people
*Front of room speech for multiple people

I also consider certain marketing activities to be an appointment including email marketing, audio recordings and sales pages. They can share details about your product or service and deliver a clear call to action.

If you want to set more appointments, then you need to invest your time in becoming good at setting appointments.

Here are 8 Appointment Setting Tools you need to set more appointments:

1. Appointment Setting Script
You need a powerful, persuasive script that will help you explain the benefits of your appointment and a clear call to action.

2. Confirmation fax or email
What doesn't get scheduled, doesn't get done. After you set an appointment, you need to remind your prospect by confirming the appointment.

3. Information fax or email
Apart from confirming  the appointment, you may want to send information to your prospect prior to the appointment.

4. Objection response scripts
There are a lot of reasons someone may not want to meet with you. You need to be prepared to respond to any objections.

5. Leads in your target market
When you sit down to make calls, you need to be prepared with a list of leads to call.

6. Calendar
In order to set appointments, you need to have a centralized calendar you can refer use to book appointments and so you will know when you're appointments are.

7. Blocked, scheduled time
What doesn't get scheduled, doesn't get done. If you want to set more appointments, then you need to block out time on your calendar.

8. Tracker
Wherever you focus your attention, you will see an improvement in results. If you want to set more appointments, you need to set appointment goals. Use a Daily Tracker to track your results.

I've just begun to reveal the secrets that I teach my clients to help them set more appointments. There is so much more to share.

Setting appointments is one of the most important skills in sales and it is often overlooked. I highly recommend you take the time to work on your appointment setting skills.

Success,

Eric Lofholm

P.S. - I have a special bonus for you today. I'd like to invite you to claim your free instant access to $298 in sales training where I will teach you step-by-step how to close more sales and you'll receive a full-length online audio CD from my acclaimed Persuasion and Influence Mastery series. You will be able to quickly and easily use the tactics and strategies in this training to make more sales. Click here now to receive access to this killer training.

One of the biggest challenges I see network marketer’s face is what to do when the prospect says I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money.

This is a challenge for the network marketer and it is also a challenge for most everyone on their team. We know that at the end of a presentation the prospect is going to say one of four things.

1. I am ready to sign up.
2. I am not interested.
3. I have some questions.
4. I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money. (or raise some other concern)

Prediction is a form of power. Because we know what they are going to say we can then prepare a powerful, persuasive response to overcome their concern and move the prospect to action. Persuasion is about leading. It is about moving people to action. Great network marketing leaders are great at moving others to take action.

After you have given the prospect your presentation you are going to ask them to take action. After you ask them to take action that is when they typically say I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money. I want you to imagine that when you ask the prospect to take action it is if you are giving them a hot potato. When they say to you I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money they are giving you the hot potato back. We now need to give it back to them. Here are some ways to do that.

The prospect says to you I need to think about it. You can say:
1. Other than thinking about it is their anything else preventing you from moving forward today?
2. Other than thinking about it I am sure that you have some other concerns. Can share with me your other concerns.
3. Tell me more about that.

The prospect says to you I need to check with my spouse. You can say:
1. If the decision where up to you would you move forward today?
2. On a scale of 1-10 how motivated are you to get started today?
3. Other than checking with your spouse is their anything else preventing you from moving forward today?
4. What would you do if your spouse says no?

In each of these responses you have now given the hot potato back to the prospect. The prospect now needs to respond in some way back to you. When they respond back to you they are probably not ready to take action yet. Your next step would be to tell them a story and then ask again for them to take action. This process is like a dance. After you ask them to take action the first time they raise a concern. You then respond to the concern. They then raise another concern. You then respond with a story and ask them to take action again.

You want to tell a very specific type of story. You want to share a story of someone in a similar situation. A story about someone who had the same concern they did. For example if the prospect tells you they don’t have the money to get started. Tell them a true story of someone else who did have the money either. They went and found the money and now they are financially free because of it. After you tell the story the next step is to ask the prospect to take action. One way you might do this is to say (right after you finished telling them the story of someone in a similar situation) based on what you have shared with me so far I really believe getting involved with our company could help you achieve your dreams. What do you say we give it a try? After you say this be silent. The prospect is now in a place where they need to make a decision. At the end of each presentation you deliver you want the prospect to make a decision. A no is OK. A yes is a lot better. One of the most important things you can do though is to have the prospect make a decision.

Success,

Eric Lofholm

But the question is: “Where do I start?”

The most proven idea to increase your sales is by using sales scripts.

You have 30 days left until 2010.

Sales Pros, like you, use checklists to accomplish their goals.

Here’s a checklist to help you get your sales scripts completed by January 2010.

* Set the Intention to create your $million dollar script book for your sales career.
* Brainstorm all the different scripts you will need for every aspect of your business.  (Most Sales Pros have more than a dozen scripts in their $million dollar script books.  You should too.)
* Prioritize your list of scripts to determine which scripts should be created first, second, third…
* Schedule the time to write your winning sales scripts.
* Reverse Engineer and Persuasion Engineer your scripts for maximum impact.
* Have a script writing expert review your completed scripts and receive high-level feedback.

Get Started NOW!

What really surprised me about Tiger's script was he chose to continue to ask for privacy.

Here is his statement.

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.

Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.

But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.

Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.

I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology."

Tiger Woods is not just a person he is an industry.  He built his empire with well crafted, persuasive scripts.

Corporations loved him because his image of success helped them sell products.  His endorsement of their products was a part of their script.

Tiger gets paid $100 Million per year to endorse products because having his name in those companies scripts produces billions in sales.

His image is no longer gold to those companies.  In other words using Tiger Woods name in the company script is no longer going to produce the same level of sales.

Tiger most certainly some of his endorsements.

Be watching Tiger’s scripts in the future.  Based on those scripts you will be able to predict if the endorsement deals will come back.  (Assuming he loses them as I am predicting)

Always remember everything is a script.  A script is simply words in sequence that have meaning.

What really surprised me about Tiger’s script was how long it was.  This was probably Tiger’s most important statement he has made in his life up till  that moment.  Every word counts.  I have read the statement 4 times now.  To me the statement causes more questions than gives answers.

His statement is not a sales presentation like you or I would give to sell a product or service (it absolutely is a sales presentation though).  Always remember this for your sales presentations.  The confused mind doesn’t buy.

To read his statement go to www.tigerwoods.com.

Here are my thoughts on what we can learn from what Tiger said on his website.

Web copy is a script.  Web copy is the words on a website.  Tiger may have written the statement himself, hired a copywriter who wrote it, or worked with a copywriter and they wrote it together.

If I was coaching Tiger on the script I would have had him reverse engineer the statement.  Reverse engineer is a scripting term to begin by identifying the outcome he is trying to accomplish with the statement.  Reverse engineer is like saying the alphabet backwards.  *Tip for you:  Reverse engineer your presentation.

Then I would have had him make a list of all the benefits he wanted to convey.  Then I would have him make a list of the objections that might come up.  For example one of the objections is why didn’t you speak to the Florida Highway Patrol?  One way to handle an objection is to ignore it.  He may have decided to ignore that objection.  *Tip for you:  Make a list of benefits and objections for your presentation.

Next I would have him write his best statement.  Then I would have a script writing expert review it to persuasion engineer it.  Persuasion engineer is to take the script (or in this case statement) and review it line by line looking for ways to improve it.   Tip for you:  Have a script writing expert review your script and provide you high level feedback.

Success,

Eric Lofholm

Selling is a thinking man’s game. Selling is a thinking woman’s game. Selling is like mental chess.

Preframing is a way to shape someone’s listening. It is also a way to handle objections before they come up.

Reverse engineer the sales process. This means begin with the end in mind. What is the end result you are looking for? You can use preframing to assist you in getting that result.

A preframe is simply letting someone know in advance what is going to happen. The close is the natural conclusion to a well delivered sales presentation. By preframing the sale, you are letting someone know in advance what is going to happen.

Let your Prospect Know in Advance What Will Happen!

So, how do you actually preframe the close? Here’s the exact language I use, “I have 2 outcomes for our presentation. My first outcome is to share some great ideas with you. My second outcome is to share with you how my ongoing coaching program works. I will give you all the details at the end of our meeting.”

How do you normally deliver your presentation? What can you say early in your presentation to preframe the sale. State the outcomes up front. That way, your prospect will know what to expect. That's how to preframe the sale.

Eric Lofholm
Master Sales Trainer and Sales Script Writing Expert

Watch this video:
Sell with Confidence, John Kurth Sales Script Writing Expert

This is a challenge for the network marketer and it is also a challenge for most everyone on their team.

We know that at the end of a presentation the prospect is going to say one of four things.
1. I am ready to sign up.
2. I am not interested.
3. I have some questions.
4. I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money. (or raise some other concern)

Prediction is a form of power. Because we know what they are going to say we can then prepare a powerful, persuasive response to overcome their concern and move the prospect to action. Persuasion is about leading. It is about moving people to action. Great network marketing leaders are great at moving others to take action.

Handling an Objection is like Passing a Hot Potato Back and Forth!

After you have given the prospect your presentation you are going to ask them to take action. After you ask them to take action that is when they typically say I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money. I want you to imagine that when you ask the prospect to take action it is if you are giving them a hot potato. When they say to you I need to think about it, I don’t have the time, or I don’t have the money they are giving you the hot potato back. We now need to give it back to them.

In Part 2 of this post, I will share specific sales scripts on how to handle the objection of “I need to think about it.”

Success,

Eric Lofholm
Master Sales Trainer and Coach

Click here for Part 2 of this post