“And they are generating revenue. Ari, why should I change if the numbers game results in sales? Deep down, the old numbers game feels wrong in some way… could you provide me with some insight into how to free myself from having to follow everyone else’s path?”
Surprisingly, I had just gotten off the phone with Harold Cameron and Ann Thurman, both of whom have been utilizing the Unlock The Game Mastery Program. They explained to me how the concept of the numbers game has taken on a new meaning for them since they began applying their new Mindset.
And they provided me with concrete, before-and-after data detailing the changes in their sales results. However, these are not the numbers you believe — “more calls equals more sales.”
I’ll let them tell you about their experiences in their own words in a moment, but first I want to discuss the mystique surrounding the old “numbers game” and why the majority of people who sell still believe it’s the only way to go.
The entire premise of the old numbers game is that if you spend enough time “dialling for dollars,” you will eventually make a sale.
Then, when you do make a sale, you believe even more strongly that the number of calls you make is the key to success — the more calls you make, the more sales you’ll make. Everyone assumes that because the old numbers game occasionally works, it is the best strategy.
Indeed, almost every sales manager in corporate America measures their salespeople’s success using the numbers game.
Therefore, if you are a sales manager or work for one, this article may come as a surprise.
The wake-up call here is that the numbers game is not about how many sales you make, but how many you lose. Consider this.
How many leads do you burn through with each call when you’re operating under the old numbers game paradigm? And how much time do you spend pursuing and following up on prospects who are unlikely to purchase?
According to Unlock The Game, the old numbers game results in a dialling “rat race.” You’re trapped, making an inordinate number of calls in an attempt to reach the minuscule percentage of prospects who will purchase from you.
What Ann and Harold have to say about the numbers game is as follows. And, despite the fact that they operate in vastly different business environments, they have shared similar experiences since implementing the Mastery Program.
Biography Ann’s
Ann Thurman recruits real estate agents for a Seattle-area residential real estate firm. She was dialling hundreds of prospects per day — the essence of the old numbers game: “I was making approximately 200 to 300 calls per day. It took six or seven hours, and I was lucky if I could get ten seconds of my script in before agents hung up on me.”
She stated that in the first month after implementing the Mindset, her call volume decreased by 80%. “However, I was having real conversations with 50 to 60 people every day — real conversations that lasted several minutes,” she explained.
“And in my first 100 calls, I did not have a single hang-up. Now, I receive very few hang-ups, and they are not rude; in fact, many times, people request that I call them back. And usually, when I do, we have a conversation.”
Ann stated that she previously scheduled one appointment every two weeks. When she began using the Mindset, that increased to approximately four appointments per week, and in less than three weeks, she signed two agents. Additionally, she has had more people call her back following initial conversations to discuss making a change.
“As a result, I’m making fewer calls but getting better results,” she explained. “I’ve discovered that using Mindset language such as ‘That’s not a problem’ is critical because it demonstrates to the other person that I’m not attempting to control the conversation.”
Finally, she stated, “The approach taken by Unlock The Game is unquestionably a more rational use of my time. The conventional wisdom is that you should pursue everyone because everyone is a potential buyer. Therefore, if you make this many calls, schedule this many appointments, and book this many bookings, you will generate this many sales.
“And when it came to chasing and following up, I used to really try to pressure people. Now, if I determine that we are not a good fit, I am not obligated to pursue them. I know when to walk away guilt-free. The previous method was the ‘quick kill’ method, as opposed to the Mindset method of developing a long-term relationship.”
The Story of Harold
Harold Cameron sells printing services in Pennsylvania for a long-established family-owned printing company. “My challenge,” he explained, “is that the majority of businesses I contact already have a printer to which they are extremely loyal.”
He stated that he, too, has reduced his call volume but increased the quality of his calls since beginning to work with the Mastery Program. His ratio of requests for quotes has also increased: “Previously, out of every 100 calls, I would probably speak with 20 people seriously, and of those, two or three would request quotes.
“Now, out of every 100 calls, I’m speaking with 60 to 70 people seriously and being asked for perhaps ten or twelve quotes.”
The Mindset also aided Harold in overcoming the age-old problem of “burning through leads.”
For instance, the vice president of a large computer manufacturer not only returned his call but also directed him to the person in charge of the corporation’s print services.
Thus, Harold’s Mindset is assisting him in developing long-term relationships.
The Mathematics Game vs. the New Mindset
Several ways in which the Unlock The Game Mindset resolves the issues created by the old numbers game include the following:
The Age-Old Numbers Game Versus the New Selling Mindset
1. “Burning through calls” entails significant time and energy investments in order to achieve a few “successes.””
When you prioritize quality over quantity, each call is an opportunity to learn your prospect’s truth. As a result, your calls will be more considerate and efficient.
2. Scripts written for numbers-games “talk at” prospects and result in rejection in all but a small percentage of calls.
Beginning calls with a specific problem statement facilitates two-way communication.
3. Prospects understand that you view them as a phone number and are uninterested in engaging them on a human level.
Your sensitivity to your prospects’ concerns enables a genuine human connection.
4. Your sole objective is to advance the sale or to obtain a quick no so you can move on to the next call.
The objective is to ascertain the truth and determine whether your solution is a good fit for your prospect’s problem or concern.
5. The numbers game has the potential to leave you feeling unsatisfied, frustrated, and rejected.
Once you’ve discovered the truth, whether it’s a yes or no, rejection becomes impossible.
The allure of the old numbers game is that you’re certain to “hit” every now and then. However, those who sell the traditional way never consider how many opportunities they’ve missed in a single day because they didn’t get to the truth with their prospects.
If you’re guilty about not playing the old numbers game because your colleagues are profiting from it, consider the following: All you see from them is the number of sales they generate – not the number of sales they lose.
Additionally, consider that by refocusing your efforts on the quality of each call rather than the quantity of calls, you can achieve levels of sales success you never imagined possible.
That is where the opportunity for you lies.
The Mastery Program assists you in identifying these opportunities by instructing you on how to:
* Language that fosters trust and candid communication
* How to avoid pitching and other conventional “sales tactics”
* Techniques for defusing sales pressure and extending conversations
The Unlock The Game Mastery Program teaches you how to dispel numerous other outdated sales myths that you may be unaware of – but that are costing you sales.
Pingback: 3 Cold Calling Mistakes That Lead To Rejection