7 Profit Killing Facts

In twenty-five years of teaching, we have learned seven profit-killing facts about business: In any given industry:

1. Everyone is an expert.

Problem --- Management concentrates on technical expertise so everyone becomes an expert. Buyers expect it. Everyone has more technical expertise than they need to close a sale. This is not the selling problem.

Solution --- Selling mechanics are as important as technical knowledge. If one cannot sell, there is no opportunity to use the technical expertise that took so long to acquire. We help transform your expertise into knowledge that the buyer can use to make a decision.

2. Everyone has a great track record.

Problem --- This is an extension of the technical expertise problem. If you can't explain your track record in the buyer's terms, it is useless; you might as well not have one.

Solution --- We help you package your history so the buyer can understand its value to them.

3. Everyone sounds alike and works hard to do so.

Problem --- Because you study the technical side of your business and understand the language of your specialty, you and all your competitors use insiders’ jargon. To buyers, you and all your competitors sound alike.

Solution --- We teach your people to sell the way your buyer wants to be sold—simply, clearly and honestly. That alone can help differentiate you from the competition.

4. Hot new features offer only short term selling advantages, if any.

Problem --- Any new feature you develop will be matched by your competitors within six months.

Solution --- Today’s buyers are looking for a salesperson who can understand and solve their business problems. If one is solving the buyer’s problems, exciting new features become secondary.

5. No one can defend their asking price.

Problem --- 95% of the companies we teach undercharge because they allow their competition—the "market"—to set their price. Because they can’t explain their value to the buyer, your salespeople are defenseless against aggressive price negotiators.

Solution --- After we teach your salespeople to see the true value they bring to their buyers, they develop logical, organized defenses designed to get your asking price and preserve your profits.

6. Every company is unique and can't explain why.

Problem --- Because the company has never determined the unique advantages and benefits it brings to the market, salespeople believe that what they sell is a commodity. They cannot explain, in meaningful terms, why they are different from the competition. Now, your salespeople only discuss similarities while the buyer only cares about differences. They pass like ships in the night.

Solution --- We help your people find your company's unique selling voice by merging your company's natural strengths, market knowledge and market advantages into presentation language unique to your company and your salespeople.

7. No company believes these facts apply to them.

Problem --- Managers and salespeople often confuse selling with taking orders. Hot market conditions can cloud the awful truth about the marginal selling skills of most salespeople. When business is good this is an easy mistake to make.

Solution --- In every case, managers are shocked to discover how poorly their salespeople present and how little real selling they do. We teach your salespeople to think like their buyers and increase sales 25% to 100%. Historically, these incremental sales create a 5 to 10 times return on the total VASS training expense.