Bedros Keuilian Podcast Show - How to Sell to the Masses and Close Every Time - 015

Episode Date: October 4, 2017

A lot of people get into the sales business, but become defeated when they discover they’re not closing prospects and maximizing their profits. What they don’t realize is, it’s not the client who’s not buying, it’s them as the salesperson who’s not committing to getting the “yes”. Listen to Bedros Keuilian and Craig Ballantyne talk about the power of believing in your product, being an effective listener, and selling by dramatic demonstration of proof.   Here’s what you’ll discover:   3:55 - Why you have an obligation to sell in order to help more people. 8:27 - How to find the problem, agitate it, and then offer a solution to close the sale. 13:10 - Why you need to become a professional listener to allow prospects to talk themselves into the sale. 14:30 - Why you need to wholeheartedly believe in your product or service in order to have the confidence to ask for the sale. 16:53 - Why you need to have dramatic demonstration of proof.

You've got a great idea, a great service, a great product. Now only thing it's missing is sales. How would you like us to teach you how to sell your product or service to the masses? So Craig, when I started selling, it was awful, it was horrific. I was that guy that would just vomit up so much information on people that I would overwhelm them with all the benefits and features of my services. And I started off as a personal trainer. And I remember seeing people's eyes glaze over and I just thought that maybe I would

was just too smart for them. The middle that I know, I overwhelmed them. You were not. I was not. But you know, my favorite story about you selling is the day you had this big epiphany where you were told you didn't sell me. You were the order taker. And that might have hurt you a bit, but it put you on the path to becoming an amazing salesperson. That particular day stung a lot. And it was my, the guy later became my mentor. His name is Jim Franco. But he was a personal training client of mine. And, you know, I asked him, I said, hey, Jim, how going to be successful? He said, you have to sell your services. I said, well, great, I already sell. And he goes, no, no, you didn't sell me anything. You took my order. And I said,

what do you mean I didn't sell you anything? He said, you took my order. All I wanted to do was sign up for personal training and you just fulfilled my order. You're no different than a waiter or waitress. And when he said that to me, I said, Jim, I'd like to, I beg to differ. You sign up on a six month program. He said, I have every intention to sign up on a six month program. And he said, well, what percentage of people do you close? And sadly, I didn't even have that number. I said, give me an example. What is close? He said, well, 10 people sat across from you, and I still ask that question today to my coaching clients. If 10 people sit across from you, how many of them convert into an actual paying client? Not I'll go back and bring money,

not I'll call you with the credit card information because feedbacks never come back. Actual paying client. I said, maybe about three, four out of 10. He goes, yeah, I told you, you're an order taker. And this is what he taught me. One third of the people will buy no matter what. And those are the ones where you're taking orders. One third of the people are undecided. And if you have any kind of sales skills, you'll be able to convert them.

And the other final one-third are people who were not going to buy, but a closer can convert some of those people into paying clients or customers. And that's where a 75, 85, 90-90-per-cost closing ratio exists. Well, you know what? people are saying, I'm not a born salesperson. I don't like sales. Let's define sales. Let's talk about how sales is really persuasion and why people are really selling all the time, even when you're persuading or selling your child to go and brush their teeth. Sure. I mean, we're selling right now. We're selling the message that sales is nothing more than influence and persuasion and really a transference of feelings. Like if I like, let's give an example, you are the king of these perfect

day workshops that you run. I mean, you run them so well. I've gone through it, my wife's gone through it, so many of my private coaching clients have gone through your perfect day workshops. Now, had I not gone through it, I would have not, and I've known you for almost a decade, I would have not gotten the tremendous benefits that I have today that have helped me become more structured and disciplined. But even then, you were able to sell me on getting in on that workshop. And you sold me on it because you have so much conviction about the system that you have, you believe in the process that you've created, and all you did was transfer those feelings to me. That's all selling is, there's transference of feelings, right?

Yeah. And you know what I love when you tell people it is your obligation. You have a product, you have a service, especially when you're working with your coaching clients who are helping people lose weight, get back in shape and feel great again through FitBody Boot Camp. I mean, we really do have an obligation to go out there and help these people who are hurting. And every time you don't sell somebody, they're going home frustrated and they're probably spending the money on something else. So don't think that they're not spending the money. They're spending it, wasting it in most cases on something else. And it's funny because I used to look at it exactly like that. Once Jim Franco taught me how to sell, and by the way, the way he taught me was not

anything organized or structured. So I said, all right, you got me. I am not a closer. I'm an order taker. I give in. And it hurt, but it felt good to admit that that I needed help. And so the next day, he shows up with a Tom Hopkins sales tape. Tom Hopkins is some old sales trainer guy for real state agents, right? And of course, as I'm listening to Tom Hopkins, Tom Hopkins mentions the name Brian Tracy. So I get a Brian Tracy sales tape. Brian Tracy leads to Dan Kennedy. Dan Kennedy leads to Jim Rohn. And before I know what, I'm listening to sales and marketing and self-development, personal development, and I become a better communicator of my message. And that's when I realized that I've got an obligation in a duty to sell my services. And here's why. I remember one time a

prospect when I was a personal trainer sitting across from me, and this is before we went on the workout floor to actually work. Because here's here's how the workouts went. You would come, I would meet you, you'd fill out a par queue, a physical activity readiness questionnaire, and then I'd get to know a little bit about you. What do you want to achieve? How much weight do you want to lose? How much time do you want to lose it in, et cetera? And then we'd go work out on the floor and then we'd come back into my office in the next 25, 30 minutes. I would give you a compelling argument, a sales pitch, if you will, on why you need to sign up for a 12-month training program with me for six or $800 a month. And so I remember,

sitting across from this person and there's a question that I ask on the par queue that says on a scale of one to ten, how serious are you about achieving your results? And she had circled a six. And I said, what's stopping you from becoming a 10? Like, why did you circle a six? I'm surprised you're even here to try this trial workout out. She said, well, honestly, I'm debating between this and getting lap band. Getting lap band. Now, she's debating between, now the thing that got her overweight was inactivity and eating all the wrong foods. The thing that's going to get it back into shape is learning how to be more active, making it a lifestyle and eating all the right foods. But instead, she was going to choose, if I didn't do my job, lap band, a medical surgery that has a high rate of people

gaining their weight back because, one, it's more expensive, but it's easier. Requires no effort. So that's when I knew in that moment that I've got a duty and an obligation to sell this woman on personal training because if I don't, that money and then some is going to get spent on lap band. And lap band does not teach you behavior, habits, and lifestyle. It just brings you right back to being fat, out of shape, and sick and tired again. Yeah, and you know what? You also were able to do that for me. And so you helped me become a better salesperson because I didn't know what I was doing.

I used to be an order taker as well. And I knew I had these workshops and I knew I wanted to go out and help people. And so you convinced me, you had an obligation to help me. And so I hired you as my sales coach a year ago. Here we are today. I'm so much better at it. So why don't you walk us through how you sold me and then how you taught me to become a better salesperson and a better closer?

Well, I mean, selling you, to be honest, was easy simply because we've spent enough time together where you've seen my ability that once I lock onto something, that person is going to buy what I'm selling. Like, that's the way I look at it. And now you've got that lock on. Anything that I sell, I look at it as I have to do anything I can to get you to buy it. Even if I have to reach in your wallet and get your credit card to do it, people go, well, wait a minute. That's forcing people. Listen, if someone's about to jump off a cliff and they think that's the best decision for them,

don't you have an obligation to go and rescue them? So if I know you're going to make a stupid buying decision with your money and your money is better off being spent with me because I can add more value, more certainty to your life, I've got an obligation to do everything within my power to extract money from you in exchange for service and value. And I think that's what I was able to transfer to you is that you knew that you've got something so good with the perfect life workshops that you do that you had an obligation and the duty to sell it. Now, once you learned that process, we went through the consult of selling process, which was really, Craig, how are you going to get on the phone with someone, agitate the problems that they have? right because everyone's got problems you're going to figure out what their problems are in their life

agitate those problems and then be the solution problem agitation solution and you've gotten become a master at that so explain that well yeah I mean when I first started I was like most people watching this I was like oh man I don't want to get on the phone with people and I'm naturally introverted I don't want to get on the phone with you in the first place but now I just welcome those calls I'm going to get on the call I'm going to say hey tell me about you know what you got going on your opportunity your business all these things, they're going to download it on me.

I'm going to pump them up. I'm going to say, that's amazing. But I bet you that brings some overwhelm and some anxiety in your life. Why don't you tell me about that? So that's the problem. Then we go into the agitation. Well, what does that stop you from doing? How does that stop and impair you with your family time?

And then they really, oh, man, they go, oh, man, it hurts me doing this. You know, I can't be present with my kids. Sometimes they get really emotional about it because it is something really serious to them. And then that gets me fired up to go, you know what, I've got to go and solve this problem. I have an obligation to this. Can I tell you about the workshop and how it's going to help you? It's just natural conversation. So now I can, you know, I just kick back and I'm relaxed when I do it as opposed to before when I was first getting started.

When we were doing role playing, which is a key part of becoming a salesperson, is just getting that practicing experience and that time under tension, as you talk about. Now I'm just so relaxed doing it. And at the end, I'm like, you know, it's just gently easing them into something that you know that. they really need to do. So thank you, sir. You're welcome, sir. And by the way, I have never sold anything in my life. And I'm going to actually spook you out here for a minute. You've never sold perfect life workshops. What you've done is you've become the assistant buyer. And that's what the problem, agitation, solution process does. Everybody has a problem in their life. Maybe they have a disorganized life that they're

undisciplined and unstructured and they want more in their business and with their relationships. and so they dumped that problem on you. Maybe you've got a product or a service and you're looking for someone like myself to help you become a better seller, a better closer of that service. Well, you've got a problem. My job is to agitate that problem.

What is it costing you every time you don't sell enough of your products or services, right? What are you missing out on? How much more advantage is your competition gaining? I want to stir the pot. So I'm kind of really opening up the kimono here, right? I want to find out what your problem is. I want to stir the pot a little bit and then go, you know what?

What if instead of dealing with objections every time where people need to think about it, go look at their finances, go talk to their spouse or partner, they could actually make a decision right then and there. And so how about we give them a little giveaway here? One of the best things I like to do over the phone when I'm selling someone on a high-level coaching program is I'll say, listen, I don't care what you say at the end of this, whether you say yes or no, but do I have your commitment to give me a definitive answer, whether you're going to commit to the program or not by the time this call ends.

Because then I've eliminated every objection. Because if I do my job right and really fish out the problem that they're experiencing in their life and then stir the pot and agitate that problem, then like you said, I get so fired up. When I know I've got the solution because I've got the outside eyes, as you've taught me, I've got the outside eyes. They don't. So I go, what if we can do this, this and that and fix that problem? Does that sound good?

Yeah. Well, then, let me tell you what the solution is, my private coaching program. And remember, they had already made the commitment to giving me an answer at the end, and every single time they give me the answer that I want to hear. Oh, that's perfect. And you know what? We learned from, or I learned from Richard, who works here at FitBody Boot Camp, selling franchises. He and I were talking about how he was doing so well at closing people.

And I said, well, you know, don't you get a lot of people saying, oh, I got to go and talk to my spouse or something like that? and he had something very similar to what you mentioned. He said, when he's on the call, one of the questions he asked is, is there anybody else that we need to have on this conversation to make the decision? And the person will say, no, no, no, there's nobody else. And then there he has permission to say, okay, well, you know, we're going to get that definitive answer, which is so powerful, because those are going to be two of the main objections. One, I want to go and think about it, or two, that somebody else I need to go.

and talk to and that's really really important. That is going to be one of the things that, you know, if you're struggling with sales, you're going to just feel so much more confident knowing that you can ask those questions and then you won't have to deal with it at the end. But one of the other things that you mentioned before was that you talked too much during the sales process. And I just love it when you let the client, the potential prospect, when they talk and they eventually, they do the same thing. They talk too much, but they talk themselves into the sale, whereas you could accidentally talk them out of the sale. Exactly.

So here's what you want to do. You want to become that professional listener, and it's really just about asking him, you taught me four or five questions that I asked people to get them to open their kimono, to talk themselves into the sale, and then when you have their conviction, commitment, and you have them saying there's no other person here that's going to get in the way, then you have the sale. Yeah, yeah, really as simple as that. And by the way, people always ask me, well, I just talk around and around the circles over and over again. I said, do you know why that happens? No, I don't. And I said, because you're afraid to ask for the sale. And so that goes back to building your confidence in the product that you're selling. Now, I know Craig is 100% certain because I've gone through it and I see how fired up he gets when he runs his perfect life workshops. And so you're 100% focused and sold on your workshops. And of course, you can fill them up like you do. I'm 100% focused and convicted and sold. on our masterminds and of course on Fit Body Boot Camp I can sell that all day long but if you've got a product or service that is mediocre and you don't believe in it

then you're just going to talk to the person in circles I call that just Diary of the mouth you have Diary of the mouth because you don't believe in your product so much that you're afraid to ask for the sale so go improve your product build your confidence in your belief system in your product and then go ask for the sale with confidence knowing that if they don't give you the money they're going to waste it elsewhere yeah and you know what you can talk so much that you can actually take one of those three people that were just there to have you take their order. You can talk them out of a sale and that's when you're really, really bad. I've been talked out of a sale before and I remember going to a place to buy a product

and I was talked out of a sale because they told me more about the product and I cared to know because I'd already done my research online. I just wanted the product but at some point I said, you know what, I'm going to go think about it and I went from, it was Home Depot. I went from Home Depot to Lowe's and just bought it and left. Okay. So why don't we flip the script on that then? and tell us when was the last time that someone sold you or you were impressed or someone that you are still learning from when it comes to sales? Yeah, that's a really good question. So the last time someone sold me is when I was at Sam Ash Music Store. Actually, I like it. It was Guitar Center.

We might as well give credit to the right music store. It was a guitar center, and this was about two weeks ago. And I went there to buy a cahone. A cahone is the square wooden box that you sit on top of and you drum, right? Not cahones. Not cahones, but I suppose you can drum your cahones as well. Might be a little painful. And the guy who sold me, he goes, have you seen this?

And he pointed to this other cahones that had an electric cord attached to it. And cahons are not electrical. It's just a box, a wood. This one was vibrating. Well, it wasn't quite vibrating, but they had an electrical cord attached to it. And I said, tell me more. And he sits on top of it, and he turns on a button. And this thing starts, it has a built-in accompaniment.

So as you're hitting it, it makes the thuds and all the sounds of a drum, but it also has symbols and snares built in, depending on where you hit it. It's got little triggers, right? Almost like a drum pad. Got it. And so I went from a $110 cahone that I went there with the purpose to buy. I walked out of there with a $400 electronic cahone, and I love it to pieces, only because he decided to sell me through demonstration.

Yes, that guy has cahones. No, he has cahones indeed. And you know what? But this actually goes back to a great lesson that I learned from Dan Kennedy when it comes to sales, is always have dramatic demonstration of proof. So in the fitness industry, one thing that really caught on in the last 20 years is kettlebells. And why did kettlebells catch on? It's because, you know, they see these exercise and they're like, oh, that's so cool. It's the dramatic demonstration of proof.

It's like the before and after. So what can you have in yours? So in FitBody Boot Camp, you have these amazing videos of people who tell their life story. about how FitBody Boot Camp, you know, changed their business. They were broke and struggling, and now they have turned their old fitness business into something that just runs on autopilot. Yeah, yeah, and it's so neat to be able to take a client who has gotten that massive transformation.

They've lost 50, 60, 100 pounds. And we just tell their story on video. That's all we do is we tell their story on video, and then we put it out there on social media and it has made selling Fit Body Boot Camp actual locations, their memberships? Easy. Because the proof is right there. And if you remember when we were kids, we would watch that infomercial there were the guys selling the ginsu knife. I still remember, man, he would take that ginsu knife, he would cut a soda can and then he would cut the head of a hammer off. And then you'd wonder, are the metal shards from the hammer or the knife? But then he would take the knife and he cut

that tomato so thin and he would slap it against the newspaper. You could read the newspaper through that thin tomato. And I remember thinking, holy cow, I got to buy a set of that knives. Now, I was 14 years old. I'm a kid. I don't need knives, but I was so excited by that. So I remember that. And so when we started a Fit Body Boot Camp, I said, how am I going to differentiate our locations

from all others? We are going to put dramatic demonstrations out there for the world to see. And when they do, we get pre-sorted, pre-qualified, predetermined people to come into a Fit Body Boot Camp and say, yes, I'll take it. Oh, beautiful. All right, so problem agitation solution. We're going to show the value. We're going to demonstrate the proof.

Is there anything else when we want to become a persuasive salesperson and influence others that we need to add in there? The only other thing is you've got to believe in your product and know that if you don't make the sale, then someone else is going to sell them something else that they don't need, and so you've got that obligation and do it to make it happen. Oh, beautiful. That's how you build your empire, one sale at a time.

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